Which Penn State recruits made the initial On300 for the Class of 2026?
Penn State head coach James Franklin and his staff may hold just one commitment currently in its Class of 2026, but if all goes to plan for the Nittany Lions, there should be plenty of talent throughout the region for them to add over the next year.
On Monday, On3 released its first On300 for the class and there’s plenty for Penn State’s coaches and fans to like. That includes three players from the Harrisburg region all within the Top 100, one of whom is Penn State running back commit Messiah Mickens. He’ll start out at No. 90 in the country and 10th overall at the position.
Listed at 5-foot-10, 195 pounds, Mickens spent the past two years at Trinity High School in nearby Camp Hill before electing to transfer to 6A powerhouse Harrisburg High School a few months ago.
Paving the way for him this upcoming season will be Harrisburg offensive lineman Kevin Brown. The 6-foot-5, 260-pound prospect is the highest-ranked player in the state and No. 28 in the nation. In fact, he’s one of two offensive linemen in the Top 50 from Central Pennsylvania, as Cumberland Valley’s Tyler Merrill starts out at No. 50 in the country. Overall, there are four players total from the region who made the On300. Wide receiver Elias Coke, who also plays at Harrisburg High School, will start out at No. 233 nationally.
Link: How many defensive players could Penn State sign in the Class of 2025?
But there are plenty of other familiar names as well scattered throughout the list, including quarterback Dia Bell from Florida. Not only is he ranked No. 14 in the country, but Bell is also the second-ranked quarterback now in the class. He’s been Penn State’s top target at the position for months now and is set to visit for the third time this upcoming weekend, March 23.
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He’s actually one of two Top 50 prospects expected to visit Saturday, as Virginia offensive lineman Darius Gray is also planning to return to campus. The Nittany Lions also just hosted Maryland edge rusher Zion Elee this past weekend. The Joppa native is the top-ranked edge rusher in the country now and ranks No. 7 overall nationally.
Overall, Pennsylvania has 10 players who rank inside the On300. Maryland and New Jersey have three players each, while Virginia has the most in the region with 11 players making the cut.
2026 Penn State prospects in On300
2) WR Chris Henry Jr.
3) OL Immanuel Iheanacho
7) DE Zion Elee
11) TE Keandre Harrison
13) CB Elbert Hill
14) QB Dia Bell
24) OL Ekene Ogboko
28) OL Kevin Brown
29) RB Savion Hiter
42) OL Darius Gray
44) Ath. Darryon Williams
50) OL Tyler Merrill
82) OL Gregory Patrick
90) RB Messiah Mickens
92) WR Dyzier Carter
95) WR Davion Brown
96) Ath. Brandon Arrington
98) OL Leo Delaney
101) OL Marky Walbridge
102) WR Travis Johnson
108) OL Adam Guthrie
119) CB Samari Matthews
123) OL Carter Scruggs
130) DL Jermaine Kinsler
135) TE JC Anderson
136) LB Thomas Davis
138) OL Sam Greer
151) DE Kevin Ford Jr.
160) DL Maxwell Riley
161) CB Henry Perrymond
173) RB D’Antae Sheffey
180) CB Dominick Kelly
181) Ath. David Davis
188) OL Da’Ron Parks
192) OL Ben Nichols
193) DL Preston Carey
205) QB Brady Hart
219) QB Noah Grubbs
233) WR Elias Coke
237) RB Marquez Wimberly
240) CB Hakim Satterwhite
242) Saf. Jireh Edwards
265) Ath. Jyron Hughley
285) WR Payton Cook
294) Saf. Andre Clarke
295) WR Ash Roberts
298) QB Semaj Beals
