Versatile 4-star athlete Pierce Petersohn commits to Penn State over Minnesota

Dodge Center (Minn.) Triton four-star recruit Pierce Petersohn has committed to Penn State, he announced on Wednesday.

He chose the Nittany Lions over Minnesota. Petersohn is currently ranked as a linebacker prospect, but has been recruited as a tight end by the staff in Happy Valley.

The 6-foot-5, 190-pounder ranks as the No. 319 overall prospect and No. 21 LB in the 2026 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He’s also the No. 3 player in Minnesota.

On3 ranks Petersohn higher than other recruiting services. He checks in as the No. 201 recruit and No. 12 LB in the 2026 On300.

James Franklin and the PSU staff have beaten the in-state program for Petersohn, adding a coveted playmaker to a 2026 class that continues to surge up the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. Petersohn plays quarterback at the high school level but profiles at multiple different positions at the next level.

“He’s a do-it-all athlete for his high school,” On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power previously told BWI. “He plays quarterback and plays safety. I think he probably projects best as a safety or linebacker at the next level, but I can see why Penn State has interest in him as a tight end. We have a lot to learn about Petersohn still, but he’s arguably the best multi-sport athlete in this class when I compare him to all the other linebackers, which is what we ranked him as.”

Nittany Lions pushing to sign Top-10 class

It’s been a consistent cycle for the PSU staff to date. After notching some big-time early pledges from the likes of Harrisburg (Pa.) four-star interior offensive lineman Kevin Brown and his four-star running back teammate Messiah Mickens, the Nittany Lions have continued to rack up commitments in the spring and summer.

Two quarterback prospects are in the mix via Nazareth (Pa.) four-star Peyton Falzone and San Marcos (Calif.) Mission Hills four-star Troy Huhn. Falzone is ranked as an athlete, while Huhn is the No. 19 signal-caller in the cycle.

In-state recruiting has gone according to plan. Of the top 10 prospects in the Keystone State, five are currently in the fold for PSU: Brown, Mickens, Falzone, four-star safety Matt Sieg and four-star linebacker Terry Wiggins.

Petersohn is the fourth commitment of the month for the Nittany Lions. West Charlotte (N.C.) four-star linebacker Elijah Littlejohn, Detroit Catholic Central three-star IOL Benjamin Eziuka and Laurel (Md.) St. Frances Academy three-star cornerback Amauri Polydor are the other new additions to the class.

Penn State’s full 21-commit class can be viewed here. The Big Ten program currently sits at No. 10 in the team rankings.