Penn State football will begin finalizing what could be its smallest — and lowest-ranked — recruiting class on record during Wednesday’s early national signing day.
This 2026 recruitment classonce another respected, top-15 ranked group at Penn State among high school freshmen, has been decimated since the firing of head coach James Franklin in mid-October — and without a permanent replacement eight weeks later.
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THE Nittany Lions maintain only six verbal commitments before this first day of signing on December 3. They have lost more than three-quarters of their class to withdrawals since Franklin was fired and recently hired by Virginia Techincluding linebacker Mathieu Lamah on Monday.
Only one of their commits, Malvern Prep defensive end Jackson Ford, publicly confirmed he plans to sign with PSU on Wednesday.
Interim head coach Terry Smith and his team are managing recruiting and preparations for a prospective game of bowlsuntil a permanent head coach is appointed.
November 29, 2025; Piscataway, New Jersey, United States; Penn State Nittany Lions interim head coach Terry Smith looks on during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. Mandatory credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Penn State football recruiting rankings
The Lions’ 2026 recruiting class is ranked 125th nationally by 247Sports and 98th by Rivals.
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Penn State typically produces top 15 recruiting rankings under Franklin, with most containing around 25 members.
His classes in 2018 and 2022 (featuring Drew Allar, Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen and Dani Dennis-Sutton) were ranked No. 6 nationally, according to 247Sports.
Franklin’s lowest-scoring class was his first (24th), which he finished compiling after accepting the position in January 2014.
Penn State football recruiting class of 2026
The Lions still hold verbal commitments from six players ahead of signing day: safety Matt Sieg (McDonald, Pa.), defensive end Terry Wiggins (Coatesville, Pa.), defensive end Jackson Ford (Malvern, Pa.), linebacker Tyson Harley (Washington, D.C.), offensive lineman Benjamin Eziuka (Novi, Mich.) and cornerback Amauri Polydor (Baltimore).
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When is the first national signing day?
The first national signing day is Wednesday, December 3. This is the first day that high school students can make their verbal commitments binding. The early signing period runs from December 3-5.
When is National Late Signing Day?
The traditional or “late” national signing day is Wednesday, February 4, 2026. It marks the end of the 2026 recruiting cycle.
Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at [email protected] and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
This article was originally published on York Daily Record: Where Penn State football recruiting ranks ahead of first signing day
