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How to Watch Penn State Prospect Joey O'Brien's Recruiting Announcement

The 5-star safety and Pennsylvania's No. 1 prospect will announce his commitment in a live ceremony at his high school.

Mark Wogenrich

A general view inside Penn State's Beaver Stadium before the Nittany Lions faced SMU in the 2024 College Football Playoff.
A general view inside Penn State's Beaver Stadium before the Nittany Lions faced SMU in the 2024 College Football Playoff. / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images
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One of Pennsylvania's top prospects announces his commitment Friday night, and Penn State is among the finalists. Joey O'Brien, a 5-star safety from Pennsylvania power La Salle College High, has scheduled an announcement ceremony for 7:30 p.m. ET at his school. The recruiting site 247Sports will carry his announcement live on its YouTube channel.

O'Brien is among the nation's highest-ranked uncommitted players of the 2026 recruiting class and a prized prospect at his position. He is the No. 4 safety in the country and the 30th-ranked player overall, according to the 247Sports Composite. As important to Penn State, O'Brien is the top-ranked player in Pennsylvania.

O'Brien placed Penn State among his finalists along with Notre Dame, Oregon and Clemson. Penn State has recruited O'Brien for more than a year, having offered him a scholarship in April 2024 and welcoming him to campus multiple times since. O'Brien made an official visit to Penn State in May. This week O'Brien released a teaser video about his commitment, calling it a dream come true.

"I've been totally blessed to be in this situation," he said in the video. "Not a lot of kids get it, and it's just a great feeling to have the opportunities to do what I do. I've always had dreams to play Division 1 football, but it was always just a dream until my freshman year. I went to the OT7 championship, and that's when I realized, I can really do this. I'm sticking with these guys. I've got what it takes to do it."

O'Brien remains one of the top players remaining on Penn State's 2026 recruiting list. The 6-3, 185-pound safety was the Philadelphia Catholic League Red Division MVP at La Sallle after a spectacular two-way season in which he caught 68 passes for 1,029 yards on offense and made 36 tackles on defense. Though listed as a safety by the recruiting sites, O'Brien is a potential two-way player in college.

"[O'Brien is] viewed by some college coaches as a defensive back and others as a wide receiver, but [his] ceiling appears to be highest as a coverage ace that can shade passing windows and create takeaways...," Andrew Ivins, 247Sports director of scouting, wrote in a scouting report of OBrien.

Penn State has received commitments from six of the top 11 Pennsylvania players in this recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite, including the No. 2 overall player, safety Matt Sieg. O'Brien, however, represents a marquee player in Penn State's recruiting plan. If he commits to the Nittany Lions, O'Brien would be the first 5-star prospect in the class and its highest-ranked player.

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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is Editor and Publisher of AllPennState, the site for Penn State news on SI's FanNation Network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs and three Rose Bowls.

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