Penn State commit Messiah Mickens and multiple PA prospects make On3's 2026 Watch List
Penn State may still have most of its focus on the 2024 and 2025 classes, but it’s actually the Class of 2026 that’s been in the news the most in recent days. On Saturday, the Nittany Lions picked up the earliest commitment in school history, as Trinity running back Messiah Mickens announced that he was ending his recruitment a week before his sophomore season began.
Now, just two days later, Mickens is back in the news, this time earning a spot in On3’s Top 100 watch list for the Class of 2026. He’s now considered a four-star prospect with a 90 overall rating.
Mickens is also far from the only Pennsylvania prospect who made the list.
As we’ve discussed more and more this summer, Central Pennsylvania has a deep class of prospects in the Class of 2026. That was highlighted again by this list, as Mickens was joined by Harrisburg prospects Elias Coke and Kevin Brown, as well as Cumberland Valley’s Tyler Merrill. Just like Mickens, they’re all considered four-star prospects heading into the season. On3 will start ranking them numerically later in the year.
Although Brown is listed as an edge at On3, both he and Merrill are being recruited to play offensive line by Penn State. Coke, who stands at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, will be a receiver at the next level. He earned an offer from James Franklin and his staff this summer following a strong performance at Penn State’s 7-on-7 tournament.
Recruiting: Jordan Hill breaks down newest Penn State commit Messiah Mickens
David Davis, from Imani Christian Academy in Pittsburgh, also made the list, giving Pennsylvania five players total. At 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, Davis has the potential to play either defensive back or running back at the next level.
You’ll find no shortage of top targets outside of the state as well. When looking at Penn State’s traditional recruiting footprint, Virginia has the most players on the list with seven total.
Running back Savion Hiter, from Woodberry Forest, earned an early 91 overall rating by On3. He was one of just 10 players who earned a 91 overall rating instead of 90. Hiter’s teammate, wide receiver Dyzier Carter, also made the list. Both players visited Penn State in March.
Of the other five Virginia prospects who made the cut, three of them have visited Penn State before in cornerback Andre Clarke, wide receiver Davion Brown and offensive lineman Darius Gray.
Four players from Maryland were also named to the list: safety Jireh Edwards, athlete Chris Hewitt Jr. and defensive line prospects James Carrington and Destin Mitchell. Of those players, Hewitt is the only one who has visited Penn State previously. However, he’s yet to earn an offer from the Nittany Lions. Penn State has offered Mitchell and Edwards.
A few other notable prospects include Preston Carey from St. Anthony’s in New York. The 6-foot-5, 290-pound defensive lineman has visited Penn State twice. The Nittany Lions also hosted quarterback Dia Bell, from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., for a camp last month. He left camp with an offer and is the son of former NBA player Raja Bell.
