Elite safety Joey O'Brien names finalists and sets commitment date

Glenside (Pa.) La Salle four-star safety Joey O’Brien will come off the board later this month.

The stellar Keystone State playmaker told On3’s Hayes Fawcett on Wednesday evening that he’ll announce his commitment on June 20. He will choose between Clemson, Notre Dame, Oregon and Penn State.

The 6-foot-4, 180-pounder is the No. 40 overall prospect and No. 5 safety 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 top-ranked player in Pennsylvania.

O’Brien has now taken official visits to PSU and Clemson following a trip to Death Valley over the weekend. He’ll log OVs to Oregon and Notre Dame ahead of his decision. Tennessee was previously set to receive an OV, too, but the Vols are no longer a finalist.

The Fighting Irish are currently trending for O’Brien, according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine. Three picks have been logged in favor of ND landing the blue-chipper.

“It’s championship-level football and an opportunity to get a meaningful degree from a prestigious school,” O’Brien previously said of the Irish to On3’s Steve Wiltfong.

A two-way star at the high school level, O’Brien excelled on both sides of the football as a junior en route to earning PCL MVP Honors and First Team Offense and Defense. He had 36 tackles, 13 pass breakups and an interception. He also hauled in 68 receptions for 1,029 yards and 12 touchdowns.

O’Brien impressed on spring circuit

Ahead of his senior season, O’Brien continued to bolster his stock as one of the nation’s top defensive backs this spring. He impressed everywhere he went, including Overtime’s OT7 event in Texas.

He was named On3 MVP during the fourth week of action in Dallas and earned a glowing review:

“The La Salle College blue-chipper Joey O’Brien continues to make his case as a five-star prospect, picking off four pass in two games, and now has nine interceptions in eight OT7 league games. He’s instinctive, explosive and sure-handed, and when he takes it from you he’s a threat to score. Two of his interceptions Saturday were pick sixes. O’Brien has a knack for jumping slant routes, but he’s also very rangy when playing in deep coverage. On3 ranks O’Brien as the nation’s No. 86 prospect regardless of position.”