Penn State football makes cut for nation’s No. 1 CB in 2026

Penn State football is among the elite programs in the running for one of the top prospects in the class of 2026. The Nittany Lions recently made the cut for five-star Mount Miguel (CA) cornerback Brandon Arrington, who announced his top six schools on Sunday.

In addition to the Nittany Lions, Arrington included Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, Texas A&M, and USC in his top six.

“I can see myself at any of these schools,” Arrington told On3’s Chad Simmons. “They all know how to develop players.”

At the end of February, Arrington announced his plans to make his first cross-country trip to Happy Valley for the first weekend of May. He also has official visits set with the Aggies, Ducks, and Trojans this June.

Ranked as the No. 8 overall player in the 247Sports Composite, Arrington is the third-highest-rated defender in the 2026 recruiting cycle. 247Sports classifies the five-star prospect as the top athlete in the class, while the On3 Industry Rankings list Arrington as the No. 1 cornerback in the country.

Penn State football has already gone to the West Coast and landed a top prospect in 2026. Last June, the Nittany Lions earned a commitment from four-star Mission Hills (CA) quarterback Troy Huhn.

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