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Penn State picks up pledge from four-star offensive tackle Marlen Bright

Greg Pickelby: Greg Pickel07/05/25GregPickel
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Offensive lineman Marlen Bright. (Credit: Ryan Snyder | Blue White Illustrated)

Penn State football landed its first commitment of the Fourth of July weekend when four-star offensive lineman Marlen Bright announced his decision just after 2 p.m. ET. The Wayne, N.J., DePaul Catholic standout picked the Lions over Illinois and West Virginia, both of which he took official visits to, among others.

Bright, who stands 6-foot-6, 270 pounds, is now the fifth offensive lineman in the Lions’ Class of 2026. He joins the class’s top-rated recruit, Harrisburg four-star Kevin Brown, and also three-stars Roseby Lubintus, Benjamin Eziuka, and Jack Fuchs.

Michael Bright, Marlen Bright’s father, previously told BWI that the way the Lions planned and then executed the family’s official visit to Penn State was a big deal. That, along with how long offensive line coach Phil Trautwein has made him a priority target, made a major difference in the end.

“I think Penn State has done a great job of, in advance, asking us what haven’t you seen yet? What else can we show you,” Michael Bright said. “For this trip, we were able to have a great sit-down with some of the heads in the engineering department and in the business school. We were able to get a sense for what it looks like and learn more details on the different disciplines. Marlen wants to be an engineer, so it was helpful for us to try to figure all that out and also have a backup plan.

More:  Which young, or new, Penn State players could send the team soaring this fall?

“I thought it was very good for us to get a sense for how a school like that treats its student-athletes and how they have systems set for them. Obviously, as parents, it’s a concern. My wife’s a teacher. I’m in executive management, so making sure the school can prepare these young men and get them ready for the real world is great because football will be over for all of them one day.”

Bright is the 24th member of the Penn State Class of 2026. The Lions hope to add a 25th commitment tonight when four-star edge Tyson Harley makes his announcement. Blue-White Illustrated subscribers can learn the latest on Harley inside of The Lions Den forum. Not a member? Sign up for just $1 for one week of access to premium intel, insider recruiting news, and more today by clicking here.

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