Penn State picks up commitment from 2026 RB Messiah Mickens
Penn State picked up another commitment Saturday, this time from 2026 running back Messiah Mickens. A native of Harrisburg, Pa., Mickens may have only played one season of high school football so far but it’s already clear that he’ll be one of the nation’s top players in his class.
Listed at 5-foot-10, 195 pounds, Mickens has already earned 18 scholarship offers. Programs like Alabama, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Tennessee and Texas A&M were among the top schools to make that move.
“How they treat me and family when we come up,” Mickens said, when asked why he wanted to commit to Penn State. “Also my position coach, I love what he does with his running backs and how he uses them. Also, just being in my hometown, my family can make most of all the games and play for your state when it’s big-time football. Just feels like home every time I go and I’ve been around a lot of colleges. My heart is just in State College.”
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Just this year, Mickens has visited seven other schools. However, with him visiting Penn State six times since last summer, assistant coach Ja’Juan Seider and the entire PSU staff always had a major advantage.
“He has a plan for me to be the best back in the country when it’s my time,” Mickens said. “Also he always keeps in contact with me.”
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Mickens made an instant impact last season for Trinity, rushing for 961 yards and 18 touchdowns. Coached by former Penn State defensive lineman Jordan Hill, Mickens and his teammates won a District III Championship and made it all the way to the PIAA semifinals. They went just 3-6 without him the prior year.
While On3 is yet to rate 2026 prospects, Mickens does hold an early four-star rating from 247Sports. He’s currently the 30th-ranked player in that class and the top-ranked player in Pennsylvania.
Mickens is one of a few promising sophomores in the Harrisburg region. In addition to the Trinity prospect, James Franklin and his staff have also hosted Harrisburg wide receiver Elias Coke and offensive lineman Kevin Brown on multiple occasions, including last month’s Lasch Bash. Bishop McDevitt linebacker Maurice Barnes has also been a regular visitor, as has Cumberland Valley offensive lineman Tyler Merrill. All four players already hold a scholarship offer from Penn State. They also have relationships with Mickens.
