8 players to know that Penn State has offered in the 2026 class (2024)

Penn State’s summer recruiting is in full swing, with the Nittany Lions hosting their second major official visit and camp weekend of the summer starting Friday. The 2025 class of high school prospects will get most of the love and make headlines for a flurry of commitments before too long. But the 2026 class and beyond are starting to make noise, as Penn State already offered a couple of those players out of camp last weekend.

Penn State currently holds just one commitment from the 2026 class. Harrisburg running back Messiah Mickens, a 4-star and the nation’s seventh-best running back, made his pledge to Penn State last August and has remained steadfast since as the Nittany Lions build out their next class. Here are a few more names to keep an eye on as 2026 recruiting ramps up.

Dia Bell

A 5-star prospect according to the 247Sports composite rankings, Florida quarterback Dia Bell is one of the top targets for Penn State in the 2026 class, and the quarterback dominoes have seemingly already begun to fall. On3 has a prediction logged for Troy Huhn, a top-10 quarterback in the class, to land at Texas. Bell has taken visits to Texas.

Bell is set to take visits to Florida State, Ohio State and LSU this month, but he’s an important name in Penn State’s 2026 recruiting efforts. He has already been on campus four times for visits.

Semaj Beals

Semaj Beals is a relative unknown on the recruiting trail at the moment. The Roman Catholic (Pa.) quarterback is unranked by 247Sports and is a 3-star by On3, but he was at Penn State’s 7-on-7 Friday and had an excellent performance.

Beals led Roman Catholic to a championship in Friday’s event, slinging a ton of touchdowns. 247Sports’ Tyler Donohue called it the best quarterback performance he’s seen in his eight summers covering camps, including recent No. 1 NFL Draft pick Caleb Williams. Beals made four visits to Happy Valley before Friday’s camp.

Kevin Brown

The No.1 prospect in Pennsylvania as of now, offensive tackle Kevin Brown will be a priority for Penn State. Coach James Franklin has made it plenty clear over the years how much he values in-state talent, and Penn State came away with the No. 1 Pennsylvania recruit in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

But after missing on 2025′s Matt Zollers and Zahir Mathis, and with the recruiting pedigree offensive line coach Phil Trautwein has built, you can bet Brown will be at the top of the 2026 list. He has already visited Happy Valley seven times.

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Jase Rhodes

Cornerback Jase Rhodes was on campus last weekend for Penn State’s first camp of the summer — and he left with a shiny new offer. The Virginia product is unranked at the moment but impressed coaches enough at camp to earn the offer. He told 247Sports that he grew up watching Penn State football, making the 5-10, 180-pounder an intriguing prospect for the future.

Zion Elee

Zion Elee — another camper last weekend — has held an offer from Penn State for some time. A 5-star according to the 247Sports composite, Elee looked the part at last week’s camp and then some. He has elite explosiveness off the edge and ideal measurables at 6-5 and 225 pounds with room to grow. He hails from Joppa, Maryland, near Baltimore, an area Penn State has dominated over the years.

Daniel Jennings

Defensive end Daniel Jennings is unranked by 247Sports and a 3-star at On3, but he was another big name on campus last weekend for camp who already held a Penn State offer. It’s not hard to see why, with a 6-3, 225-pound frame. Jennings, from Virginia, had been to Penn State for three unofficial visits before last weekend.

Matt Sieg

A 4-star prospect in the composite, safety Matt Sieg is among the best prospects in Pennsylvania early in the cycle. He has played quarterback and is a talented runner at Fort Cherry near Pittsburgh, and with offers from West Virginia and Pitt thus far, it may be a local battle for Penn State to keep him home.

Nyqir Helton

It’s clear Penn State’s recruiting at wide receiver has been subpar over the past few years, meaning any prospects at the position will be under a microscope for now. Nyqir Helton — a 3-star receiver from New Jersey, plays at Winslow Township — where former Penn State running back Bill Belton coaches. Helton, who stands 6-foot and 170 pounds, was on campus for the White Out last fall and Penn State’s junior days this winter.