All Penn State

Penn State Football Recruiting: A Key Prospect Visits, Another Sets Commitment Date

Penn State's 2026 recruiting class is climbing the rankings as official-visit season begins.
Mark Wogenrich|
Penn State head coach James Franklin during the Blue-White Game at Beaver Stadium.
Penn State head coach James Franklin during the Blue-White Game at Beaver Stadium. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In this story:

Penn State Nittany Lions

Some Penn State football recruiting notes as the NIttany Lions get into the heart of the spring contact period. There's a key visit official this weekend, a potential commitment on the horizon and a look at the constantly changing recruiting rankings following Penn State's latest addition.

Key prospect schedules commitment date

Alexander Haskell, a 3-star defensive lineman from St. Joseph's Prep in Philadelphia, will announce his decision May 9. In a social media post, Haskell listed Penn State among his final four schools with Michigan, Duke and Syracuse.

Haskell (6-4, 265 pounds) is a 3-star recruit, according to the 247Sports Composite, and the 26th-ranked player in Pennsylvania. He also has offers from Ohio State, Michigan State and a recent one from Pitt.

Penn State has been recruiting Haskell for nearly two years, offering him a scholarship in June 2023. He plays for a priority program of Penn State's Pennsylvania recruiting strategy, which has won three consecutive Class 6A state titles. It certainly doesn't hurt that St. Joseph's Prep also happens to be new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles' alma mater.

Official-visit season begins

Penn State is hosting a prime prospect during the first weekend of May. Brandon Arrington, a 5-star cornerback from California, will be in State College for his official visit from May 2-4.

Arrington has listed Penn State among his five finalists with Oregon, USC, Alabama and Texas A&M and has further visits scheduled in June. Arrington is one of the top players of the 2026 recruiting cycle.

The 6-2, 180-pound Arrington, who plays at Mount Miguel High near San Diego, is the nation's top-ranked cornerback, according to the 247Sports Composite, and the No. 1 overall player in talent-rich California. ESPN ranks Arrington as the nation's No. 14 overall player, and the No. 1 cornerback, in the 2026 recruiting class.

Stan Drayton visits a top California running back

Drayton, Penn State's new running backs coach, has hit the recruiting trail. He recently visited 4-star running back Brian Bonner Jr. of Valencia High near Los Angeles. Bonner is a top-100 player nationally, according to ESPN, and a top-10 back for the 2026 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Bonner has scheduled an official visit to Penn State in June, along with trips to Notre Dame, Nebraska and UCLA. He also has visited Washington.

Penn State's latest recruiting rankings

The Nittany Lions' 2026 recruiting class improved to fifth nationally in the 247Sports Composite after a string of recent commitments. Penn State has received five commitments since April, most recently from 4-star linebacker Terry Wiggins of Coatesville High.

With Wiggins' decision, Penn State has received commitments from five of Pennsylvania's top-10 prospects, according to te 247Sports Compositve. That includes an April commitment fromPennsylvania quarterback Peyton Falzone. The Nittany Lions have 14 players committed to their 2026 class.

More Penn State Football

Published
Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is the editor and publisher of Penn State on SI, the site for Nittany Lions sports on the Sports Illustrated network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs, three Rose Bowls and one College Football Playoff appearance.

Home/Football