Penn State adds commitment from former 2026 Iowa State signee Bryson Williams

Penn State has added one of Matt Campbell’s former commits to its Class of 2026, locking up a commitment from Omaha, Neb., native Bryson Williams. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound defensive back committed to Iowa State back in June following an official visit. He also took official visits to Washington State and Vanderbilt.

After opening up his recruitment, both Minnesota and Purdue made a push for Williams, but it was his relationship with Campbell and defensive back coach Deon Broomfield that put Penn State in a strong position. Williams is also the son of Jamel Williams, who won two national championships at Nebraska in the mid-90s before playing for Washington and Green Bay in the NFL.

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Williams had a very strong senior season for Westside High School, finishing with 73 tackles, six tackles for loss and six interceptions. He also had 23 receptions on offense for 410 yards and eight touchdowns. For his high school career, Williams finished with 139 tackles, seven tackles for loss and nine interceptions. He also ran a 10.8-second 100-meter in the spring of 2025.

According to Rivals, Williams is a three-star prospect. He’s ranked No. 66 at the safety position and 12th overall in Nebraska. The Industry Rankings, which combines Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN for a cumulative grade, ranks him No. 954 nationally, No. 92 at safety and eighth best in Nebraska.

Penn State signed just two players during the early signing period: defensive end Jackson Ford and quarterback Peyton Falzone. Ford, who resides in Phoenixville, Pa., is a four-star prospect and Rivals300 member out of Malvern Prep. He’s ranked No. 209 nationally by Rivals and fifth overall in Pennsylvania. Falzone also holds a four-star rating by Rivals. The Nazareth, Pa., native is the 20th-ranked quarterback and No. 8 overall in Pennsylvania.