Midway through Penn State’s matchup against FIU on Saturday, the Nittany Lions landed a commitment for its 2026 recruiting class.
Three-star Northeastern PA defensive lineman Tavian Branch, who was in attendance for the game, committed to Penn State, per Hayes Fawcett on X.
Branch, who attends Riverside High School in Lackawanna County, recently decommitted from Rutgers, which he pledged to in June. He ranks as the No. 21 Pennsylvania prospect, No. 96 defensive lineman and No. 843 overall recruit in the class, per the 247Sports composite rankings. Despite a relatively low recruiting status, Branch holds offers from Alabama, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and others.
With Branch’s commitment, the Nittany Lions have 25 members in the class, including eight in-state prospects. The group remains ranked No. 16 nationally and No. 5 in the Big Ten, behind No. 2 USC, No. 7 Oregon, No. 9 Ohio State and No. 10 Michigan.
