Skip to main content
Penn State

Penn State misses out on top recruiting target Luke Wafle despite reported 'late push'; here's who he picked

Greg Pickelby:Greg Pickel•06/19/25•

GregPickel

luke-wafle-penn-state-football-recruiting-on3
Defensive end recruit Luke Wafle. (Credit: Ryan Snyder | Blue White Illustrated)

Penn State made a ‘late push’ to try and land top Class of 2026 target and Middletown, N.J., Hun School On3 Industry four-star defensive end Luke Wafle, his agent, Brian Klatsky, told On3’s Steve Wiltfong. However, that effort, the work the Nittany Lions put in throughout this recruitment, and the fact the senior-to-be’s brother, Owen Wafle, is a new member of head coach James Franklin’s team after transferring in from Michigan this offseason, was not enough to win out in the end when Luke Wafle made his college choice public just after 2 p.m. ET on June 19.

Luke Wafle has committed to USC. It ends what became a frantic battle down the stretch to land the nation’s No. 52 player and No. 10 edge rusher. per the On3 Industry Rankings, in the Class of 2026. To illustrate just how crazy things got in the last 24 hours, Wiltfong, who is On3’s Vice President for Recruiting and Transfer Portal and one of the most respected and plugged-in insiders in the business, had an On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine pick logged for Ohio State on Wednesday before changing it to USC on Thursday morning as new information became available as the two schools duked it out in what was described as a ‘bidding war.’

From Wiltfong’s final article before the commitment took place:

“As reported yesterday sources are indicating Wafle is tracking to be the next prospect to have a deal of at least a million dollars per year. We’re hearing now a two-year deal worth between 2.2 and 2.6 million dollars is the range for Wafle.“

“The Trojans and Buckeyes have been in a back-and-forth over the last 24 hours and the momentum coming into the day has been with USC.“

Sting Factor: Ranking top Penn State targets from most to least replaceable

Penn State was on the outside looking in at it, along with Texas and Florida at the end. Wafle is the second top Nittany Lion target to commit elsewhere in as many days. Pa., native and four-star offensive lineman Grayson McKenogh picked Notre Dame on Wednesday night.

For the latest Penn State recruiting news, scoop, intel, and a look at what’s next for the Nittany Lions in this cycle, join Blue-White Illustrated by signing up for an annual subscription that costs just $1 for one week of access before it is billed annually from there. In addition to everything you need to know to stay on top of Franklin’s program at an insider level, you’ll also receive access to The Athletic.

Click here to see our available subscription options.

You may also like