Where does Penn State now sit in the 2026 Team Recruiting Rankings following Peyton Falzone?

Penn State head coach James Franklin and his staff picked up commitment No. 10 in its Class of 2026 Saturday with the addition of four-star prospect Peyton Falzone. Listed at 6-foot-5, 200 pounds, Falzone earned an offer from the Nittany Lions in June 2024 after camping with the coaching staff.

The Nazareth prospect actually committed to Virginia Tech just weeks after PSU offered, but he eventually opened up his recruitment in November. Iowa, Rutgers, Syracuse, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin were among the schools he considered following his decommitment.

A four-star recruit by both On3 and in the Industry Rankings, Falzone is ranked No. 206 nationally, according to the industry average. That makes him the third-ranked player in the class behind Harrisburg teammates Kevin Brown and Messiah Mickens. Falzone is the fifth-ranked player in Pennsylvania, giving PSU four of the state’s top six players so far in the class.

Penn State came into the day ranked No. 12 nationally in On3’s Team Recruiting Rankings with a grade of 90.918. Falzone’s commitment moved the Nittany Lions up three spots to No. 9 in the rankings, surpassing Auburn, Miami and Tennessee. The updated team grade is 91.183.

Understanding On3’s Team Rankings

For those unfamiliar with On3’s Team Rankings, there are two major differences compared to other sites that you need to know.

1) We use the Industry Rankings, which puts together all four major recruiting sites – On3, 247, Rivals and ESPN – to find a cumulative score for each prospect. It’s not just based on On3’s rankings.

2) On3’s Team Recruiting Rankings solve the problem of varying class sizes during the recruiting cycle by totaling the highest-rated commitments for each team based on a rolling average of current total commitments among Power Four schools. That average is currently just six players since it’s still early in the cycle.

That second point is a major difference compared to 247Sports and Rivals, with both of those sites using a point system that grows throughout the cycle. Because of that, classes that have the most commitments oftentimes rate higher early in the cycle compared to where they finish. On3’s system is designed to give an accurate projection throughout the cycle on where a particular school is on pace to finish.

Fans can learn more about On3’s Team Recruiting Rankings here.

Around the Big Ten

The Big Ten is off to a strong start in the 2026 class, with three teams currently ranked among the Top five nationally. As of April 12, USC, Ohio State and Oregon are ranked second through fourth, respectively.

The Trojans have already earned 22 commitments, including 12 players who hold a four-star rating. Six of those four-star players also rank among the Top 100 players in the nation. The top three prospects are linebacker Xavier Griffin and cornerbacks RJ Sermons and Brandon Lockhart.

Ohio State has picked up momentum in recent weeks, adding five new commitments since March 25. Five-star wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. remains the top-ranked player in the class, but the Buckeyes also added safety Blaine Bradford on March 31. He’s ranked No. 27 nationally and second overall at the position. However, unlike in 2025, when the Buckeyes finished with six Top 100 players, they currently have just two.

Link: Four-star OL Grayson McKeogh recaps complete Penn State experience

The Ducks finished as the top-ranked Big Ten program in the 2025 class and will likely finish again among the nation’s best. However, their class did drop from nine commits to eight recently when defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui switched his commitment to USC. Six of their remaining commits hold a four-star rating or better, including five-star tight end Kendre Harrison, who was previously recruited by Penn State. Offensive tackle Kodi Greene, running back Tradarian Ball and defensive lineman Tony Cumberland also rank among the Top 100.

After Penn State, you won’t find another Big Ten program until No. 17 Illinois. Maryland, which holds a commitment from five-star edge rusher Zion Elee, is ranked No. 18. Iowa also ranks among the Top 25 at No. 24. Michigan currently has just three commits in the class and ranks 40th. Cornerback Brody Jennings is their lone four-star commitment.