Penn State football out of the mix for 5-star CB Brandon Arrington

James Franklin and the Nittany Lions made a strong impression on five-star Mount Miguel (CA) cornerback Brandon Arrington during his official visit last month. However, it wasn’t enough to keep Penn State football in the running for his commitment until his decision day.

On Monday night, Arrington revealed that he will announce his commitment on Thursday. The No. 1 cornerback in the 2026 recruiting cycle will choose between two schools: Oregon and Texas A&M.

Monday’s news is a change of course from Arrington’s original timeline. In April, he announced a top five of Oregon, Texas A&M, Penn State, Alabama, and USC, and set a commitment date of July 5.

BREAKING: Five-Star CB Brandon Arrington is down to Oregon and Texas A&M, he tells me for @on3recruits

The No. 1 CB in the ‘26 Class will announce his Commitment on Thursday

Where Should He Go? ⬇️https://t.co/AHYhx3try2 pic.twitter.com/PtQylppcxA

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) June 17, 2025

“Coach Franklin, he’s been there for so long. Coach [Terry] Smith, he’s been there,” Arrington said of the Nittany Lions following his May official visit. “Just the relationship and stuff like that. I feel like that’s a great spot for development.”

Arrington is the No. 9 overall prospect in 2026 per the On3 Industry Rankings.

While a disappointing bump in what has been a successful spring of recruiting in Happy Valley, Penn State is still in the hunt for several top defensive backs in the class of 2026. The Nittany Lions are pushing to land the No. 3 cornerback in the cycle, Loyola Blakefield’s (MD) Khary Adams, as well the No. 4 safety, La Salle College’s (PA) Joey O’Brien. The top in-state recruit in the class, O’Brien is expected to announce his decision on Friday.

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