Meet the Recruit Who Remained Committed to Penn State Through Chaos

STATE COLLEGE | When James Franklin was fired and multiple recruits decommitted from Penn State, Jackson Ford stayed put. On Wednesday, he was the first of two players to sign with the Nittany Lions’ 2026 recruiting class on Signing Day. Ford also was the only Penn State recruit who did not decommit through the process.

Dave Gueriera, head coach of Malvern Prep near Philadelphia, coached Ford for the past two seasons and said the defensive end never wavered with his decision after committing to Penn State in June.

“There was no reason to decommit,” Gueriera said. “We were committed to the institution and the place. As much as he loved James and loved [defensive line coach] Deion Barnes, there was no reason to do it.”

Ford is the only player of Penn State’s 2026 recruiting class, which so far has two members, to remain committed the entire time. The 4-star edge rusher is the nation's 25th-ranked player at his position and the 256th-ranked player overall, according to the 247Sports Composite. He remained committed to Penn State since announcing his decision in June.

"The people in the building are great people," Ford said Wednesday on the CBS Sports College Football channel in announcing his decision. "The program itself is just built on greatness, it's built on family. ... I 100 percent believe they're going to be able to build it up, and that's why I want to stay."

Ford (6-4, 240 pounds) has strong athleticism and has grown into the defensive end position over the past two years under Gueriera’s coaching. As a senior at Malvern Prep, Ford made 30 solo tackles (six for losses) and four sacks. He also returned a fumble for a touchdown and caught six passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns.

“He’s just kind of like an Energizer bunny; he just continues to go and go and go,” Gueriera said. “He’s really honed in his craft, especially with his pass rush, his moves and his hand usage are much better.”

SIGNED: DE Jackson Ford

Phoenixville, PA → Happy Valley #WeAre | @Jackson_S_Ford pic.twitter.com/Ctl4xxFPRa
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) December 3, 2025

Eleven players whom Franklin recruited to Penn State flipped to Virginia Tech. But when comparing the two programs, Gueriera said that Ford felt Penn State still has its “structure.”

“The infrastructure at Penn State is there, and I kind of feel like that at Virginia Tech, that really still needs to be built. And if there’s a guy to do it, James will do it,” Gueriera said. “But [Ford] felt like, even though there’s no coach and there’s really no recruiting class besides [him and quarterback Peyton Falzone], there’s an infrastructure. It can be turned on, and they can get back to that level pretty quickly as opposed to what it might take a Tech.”

Falzone, a 4-star quarterback from Nazareth, Pennsylvania, was the only other player to sign with Penn State on Wednesday. He had decommitted from Penn State's 2026 class in June for Auburn but returned to the Nittany Lions this week. Falzone said that he and Ford have bonded through their recruiting experience.

"It’s unique and it’s also cool because it’s brought me and Jackson together,” Falzone said. “We are in this together and we talked about this. We’re going to go in there and we’re going to work. But what people are missing or forgetting is that Penn State is still Penn State.”

Nazareth High QB Peyton Falzone, who signed with Penn State today, said he hopes Terry Smith gets the permanent job.

Smith and assistant QBs coach Trace McSorley were instrumental to his return to Penn State. pic.twitter.com/VxOOt8Qo6O
— Mark Wogenrich (@MarkWogenrich) December 3, 2025

Several weeks ago, Ford went to a Penn State game and met with Athletic Director Pat Kraft. That meeting solidified his decision to remain committed to Penn State and ultimately sign on Wednesday.

“The bones of Penn State are still there,” Gueriera said. “… The athletic director really, I think, made him comfortable to stay in his decision.”

As a Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, native, Ford was always interested in playing close to home. He chose Penn State over Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Kentucky and had a hard time making his decision, Gueriera said. However, after visiting Penn State and seeing the campus and facilities, Ford was “sold.”

“He really liked the fact that he was going to be a Pennsylvania kid going to a Pennsylvania school, especially the flagship school,” Gueriera said. “…. It was pretty clear to him that that’s where he wanted to go.”

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