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Penn State

Penn State locks in commitment from four-star edge rusher Tyson Harley

Mug-Shot 4x4by: Ryan Snyder07/05/25RyanSnyderOn3
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Four-star defensive end Tyson Harley. (Credit: Ryan Snyder | Blue White Illustrated)

Penn State picked up its second commitment on Saturday from one of its top remaining 2026 prospects, adding four-star defensive end Tyson Harley. Listed at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, Harley visited State College twice in 2024, first for a camp in June, then again for the game against Ohio State last November.

The Nittany Lions offered this past January during the contact period. That was a busy stretch for the Gonzaga prospect, with nearly half of his offers coming during that stretch. He eventually narrowed his list to five schools: Penn State, Rutgers, Michigan State, Maryland and Virginia Tech. His official visit with head coach James Franklin, position coach Deion Barnes and the entire staff came in the middle of his 20-plus day tour, taking place June 6-8.

“I thought the visit was great,” said Harley. “I was hoping to see the brotherhood between the players, and it matched my expectations. You could see that all the players had genuine love for one another.”

Playing alongside five-star edge rusher Carter Meadows, Harley was the more productive of the Gonzaga pair as a junior last fall. He finished with 15 tackles for loss and eight sacks on the season, earning All-WCAC honors in the process.

As previously mentioned, Penn State added another coveted recruit earlier today, locking up a commitment from four-star offensive tackle Marlen Bright. Harley joins four-star prospect Jackson Ford as the two edge rushers currently committed in the 2026 class.

Scouting Director Charles Power on Tyson Harley

On3 | Rivals rates Harley higher than any other recruiting service, placing him well within the On300 at No. 186 nationally. He’s the 24th-ranked defensive end and No. 2 overall in Washington, D.C. The Industry Rankings, which are used to determine the team rankings, have him ranked No. 332 nationally and No. 35 at the defensive end position.

“I like Tyson Harley a lot,” said Director of Scouting Charles Power. “He’s more productive than Carter Meadows. I think he’s got a good combination of athleticism, while also still having a good frame to fill out. He’s more of a developmental guy, physically, compared to Meadows, but he’s got a lot that you look for with his athleticism and frame. He was productive against a very good competition. Gonzaga is playing some of the best competition in the region, and he was really productive.”

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