ICYMI: Top 3 recruit in PA commits to Penn State football moments before Ohio State game

Just as Penn State football was preparing to kick off against Ohio State, James Franklin added an elite in-state prospect to the Nittany Lions’ 2026 class. Fort Cherry four-star safety/athlete Matt Sieg made his pledge to Franklin and the Nittany Lions on the field during pregame warmups on Saturday morning.

The Best in PA, Stay in PA🦁🔵⚪️ #WeAre @coachjfranklin @Coachpoindexter @CoachTerryPSU @PennStateFball pic.twitter.com/yz1GHqV9J7

— Matt Sieg 4 ⭐️ ATH (@matt_sieg) November 2, 2024

The 2026 recruiting class is shaping up to be one of Franklin’s best thus far during his time at Penn State, and Matt Sieg is just the latest elite in-state addition.

A four-star from Fort Cherry High School in McDonald, Pennsylvania, Sieg is primarily being recruited as a safety at the FBS level. He currently ranks No. 12 nationally at the position in 247Sports’ 2026 recruiting rankings.

However, Sieg is a talented two-way athlete at the high school level. Last fall, he set PIAA records at quarterback, throwing for 1,659 yards and 20 touchdowns and rushing for 2,402 yards with 40 scores.

Sieg chose Penn State football over nearby Pitt and West Virginia, as well as Wisconsin, where he was a visitor of the Badgers on October 26 during the Nittany Lions’ 28-13 win.

Ranked the No. 3 recruit in the Keystone State, the Nittany Lions now have commitments from three of the top five prospects from Pennsylvania in the class of 2026

With the commitment, Penn State now has pledges from three of the top five players from Pennsylvania in the class of 2026. The Nittany Lions have the No. 3 class nationally, per 247Sports.

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