Penn State football legend makes pitch to five-star recruit ahead of official visit

Penn State football kicks off official visit season this weekend by hosting one of the most coveted prospects in the 2026 recruiting cycle. While it’ll be an uphill climb for the Nittany Lions to land five-star Brandon Arrington, James Franklin and his staff have the entire Penn State community backing their efforts to woo the elite California cornerback.

Leading up to this weekend’s visit, one of the all-time greats in Penn State football history took to social media to make his case for the Nittany Lions.

“Arringtons belong in blue and white at [Penn State football],” Linebacker U legend LaVar Arrington posted in response to the Mount Miguel defender’s trip to Happy Valley.

Arringtons belong in blue and white at @PennStateFball https://t.co/eUe6TucHFI

— LaVar Leap Arrington (@LaVarArrington) May 2, 2025

Although there’s no direct relation between the two, Arrington’s son, LaVar Arrington II, is already continuing the Arrington legacy at Penn State, turning heads in his first semester on campus.

Penn State was recently named one of Arrington’s five finalists. The No. 1 cornerback in 2026, Arrington will also take visits to Texas A&M, Alabama, USC, and Oregon before his July 5 commitment.

Convincing the five-star defensive back to make a cross-country commitment may be challenging, but the Nittany Lions have a recent track record of recruiting success at the position in California, landing four-star Mater Dei cornerback Daryus Dixson last cycle.

Penn State football has the No. 5 class in 2026, according to 247Sports.

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