Top in-state recruit set to return to Penn State for official visit

In the last two weeks, Penn State football has hosted elite defensive backs Brandon Arrington and Khary Adams for official visits. This weekend, the Nittany Lions will have an opportunity to impress another top 2026 defender.

La Salle College (PA) safety Joey O’Brien will return to Happy Valley for his official visit this weekend. The trip will be O’Brien’s second to State College in a month, visiting for spring practice in mid-April.

OV this weekend 🔥🔥@PennStateFball pic.twitter.com/3VzDHVhz2d

— Joey O’Brien (@Joey_obrien6) May 14, 2025

O’Brien earned a bump in this week’s rankings update from 247Sports; he is now the No. 1 prospect in Pennsylvania and the No. 30 player in the country for the 2026 recruiting cycle. He is the consensus top available prospect in the Keystone State across the four major recruiting services. A player who can likely contribute on both sides of the ball in college, O’Brien had 36 tackles and 13 pass breakups on defense, along with 1,029 yards and 12 touchdowns receiving last fall.

With his trip to Happy Valley, O’Brien begins a series of official visits to top programs across the country. Over the next five weeks, he will also visit Clemson, Oregon, Tennessee, and Notre Dame.

Landing nine commitments over the last month and a half, Penn State football has the No. 4 class in the country per 247Sports.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation, one of the fastest-growing outlets covering Penn State athletics. Part of the Full Ride network, we are an alumni-owned and operated, credentialed media outlet dedicated to providing you with updated and reliable insights for all your favorite Nittany Lion sports. Whether it’s Penn State football, basketball, wrestling, or anything in between, you can find it all on Basic Blues Nation!

Please follow us on our social channels, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and subscribe to our newsletter on Substack for breaking news and notifications. For feedback, questions, or concerns, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on social media.