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Penn State football RB commit reconfirms pledge after SEC offer

This Penn State football running back commit has picked up an offer from an SEC contender, but he has reminded Nittany Lion fans that Happy Valley is home.

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7 months ago

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Penn State Football, Messiah Mickens, 2026 recruiting, Missouri
Oct 21, 2017; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Saquon Barkley (26) runs into the end zone for a touchdown against the Michigan Wolverines during the first quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

The Penn State football team has worked hard to assemble the current commits in the 2025 and 2026 recruiting classes. But recruiting never ends until National Signing Day. The day when all the efforts are finalized and that recruit will truly attend your school. On Friday, the Nittany Lions experienced a setback when Alvin Henderson flipped his commitment from Penn State to Auburn. Now, they have to fend off Missouri from Messiah Mickens as well.

Messiah Mickens continues to be the lone commitment in the 2026 recruiting class for Penn State football. The Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) native continues to turn heads and impress additional schools. He recently put his athleticism on full display at a 7-on-7 event in State College.

Mickens ranks as the No. 3 player in PA. He also is listed as the No. 8 running back and the No. 65 player in the 2026 cycle according to the On3 Industry Rankings. On Wednesday, he picked up a new scholarship offer from the University of Missouri. But it does not appear that Mickens has similar intentions that Alvin Henderson had this past week.

Nittany Lion commit calls Happy Valley home

Penn State Football, 2026 recruiting, Messiah Mickens, Missouri

© Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

Just one day after receiving the offer from Missouri, Messiah Mickens went to Twitter / X to let Nittany Lion fans know that Penn State was home. His initial commitment came on August 19, 2023, and he has received dozens of scholarship offers from then until now. However, Mickens has never once wavered in his dedication to Penn State. He also confirmed that he was back on campus for an unofficial visit this weekend as well.

The Nittany Lions continue to search for a quarterback to pair with the dynamic running back in Mickens. Jaden O’Neal is a new name to keep an eye on. The 2026 QB is listed as a top-10 talent at the position and recently has shown interest in potentially playing for Penn State.

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Former Editor-In-Chief at Victory Bell Rings, Morgan is the current Site Manager for Basic Blues Nation, host of the Basic Blues Podcast, and co-host of the weekly Penn State Roar Room spaces. Morgan lives in upstate New York with his wife and cats.

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