Top in-state target returns to Happy Valley as Big Ten foe makes new push

Penn State football has built up its 2026 recruiting class with a core of homegrown talent. The Nittany Lions will now have a chance to make their case with the top in-state prospect still remaining on the board: La Salle College safety Joey O’Brien.

On Tuesday, O’Brien announced his plans to return to Happy Valley this week. The visit will be his seventh to State College and the first since the Nittany Lions’ November regular-season finale against Maryland.

Back in happy valley this week📍@PennStateFball @coachjfranklin @LaSalleFball @Coachpoindexter pic.twitter.com/5UUCntOKEY

— Joey O’Brien (@Joey_obrien6) April 15, 2025

However, in a battle largely believed to be between Penn State and Notre Dame, Oregon is now making inroads with O’Brien after a successful trip to Eugene last weekend.

“I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did,” O’Brien told On3’s Chad Simmons on Thursday.

Last week, the consensus four-star prospect trimmed his list of finalists to six schools. The Nittany Lions, Fighting Irish, and Ducks all made the cut, along with Clemson, Michigan, and Tennessee.

O’Brien has official visits with five of his finalists, excluding Michigan, set for this summer. Instead, he’s currently scheduled to travel to Ohio State the weekend of June 20. He will visit Penn State on May 16.

The No. 69 overall recruit and No. 2 player in Pennsylvania in the On3 Industry Rankings for 2026, O’Brien has five commitment predictions from recruiting insiders across 247Sports and On3. 247Sports national recruiting analyst Tom Loy logged his pick in favor of the Nittany Lions in February, while the remaining four predictions have all been for Notre Dame.

Penn State football has the No. 9 class in the 2026 recruiting cycle. Five of the Nittany Lions’ 10 commitments in the class are from top-10 prospects in the Keystone State.

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