Penn State football earns new prediction for blue chip linebacker

Penn State football is pushing into the third week of spring practice. But over the weekend, James Franklin and the Nittany Lions also made inroads with several key prospects in the class of 2026.

Coming off his visit on Saturday, the Nittany Lions are trending up for four-star Patriot (VA) linebacker Mathieu Kanu. Following his trip to Happy Valley, On3 recruiting insider Steve Wiltfong logged a prediction for Penn State to earn a commitment from the 6-3, 221-pound defender.

Saturday was Kanu’s fourth visit to State College, all of which have been made since last November. He has trips to Kentucky (April 12) and Michigan (April 19) planned for later this month. Official visits with Penn State (June 13) and Virginia Tech (June 20) await in June.

The Nittany Lions, Hokies, Wildcats, and Wolverines all made Kanu’s top six released in March, along with Rutgers and North Carolina. Previously, Kanu called Penn State “the clear leader” for his commitment.

⏳@FinnertySean @PWCsportsVA @On3Recruits @247Sports @adamgorney @EJHollandOn3 pic.twitter.com/W5YSthYjSJ

— Mathieu Kanu 4⭐️ (@Mathieukanu9) March 31, 2025

Kanu is the No. 20 linebacker in the nation and the No. 7 prospect out of Virginia in On3’s 2026 recruiting class rankings. A four-star according to On3, he has yet to be officially evaluated by 247Sports.

Per On3, Penn State football has the No. 8 class in 2026.

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