Penn State has made a big deal out of its recruiting efforts in recent years with a party every early signing day in recent years. Penn State managed to find a way to make every player signing feel like an NFL draft pick, but this year brings a cloud of massive uncertainty around it as the early signing period approaches. Without a full-time head coach officially named, Penn State is stuck in a state of unknown transition on the eve of the start of the early signing period.
So what should Penn State fans expect out of this early signing period? In short, do not count on the Nittany Lions making too many headlines the next few days. Here is a quick primer on what to know about Penn State and this year’s early signing period.
Advertisement
When is the early signing period?
The early signing period for college football runs from Wednesday, December 3 through Friday, December 5. During this three-day stretch, the vast majority of the nation’s top recruits will commit and sign with their preferred programs in the Class of 2026. Since the introduction of the early signing period, most programs have locked in nearly their full recruiting classes, with a couple of players added later during the traditional signing period from time to time.
When does recruiting open after the early signing period?
Once the early signing period closes on Dec. 5, the recruiting calendar will wait until February to open the traditional signing period. That begins on February 4, 2026.
Advertisement
Where is Penn State’s Class of 2026 currently ranked?
Brace yourself, because this is where it gets a little rough for the Nittany Lions. Penn State’s Class of 2026 is currently ranked 123rd in the nation according to the updated ranking from 247Sports and 101st in the nation according to Rivals’ updated rankings. For a recruiting cycle that once saw Penn State in the top-10, the coaching change in the middle of the football season has wrecked the current Class of 2026. Former head coach James Franklin has successfully flipped a number of former Penn State commits to follow him to Virginia Tech, making things a bit messier for the Nittany Lions in a state of transition.
When will Penn State have a new head coach officially named?
Excellent question, of course. It does seem there is some movement on the coaching search as rumors have heated up about Penn State potentially going after BYU head coach Kalani Sitake. Whoever is ultimately named the next head coach of the Nittany Lions is going to have to do the bulk of his recruiting for the Class of 2026 with a focus on the traditional signing period, because they will be missing out on the early signing period entirely.
Advertisement
Will any other commits leave Penn State?
It is entirely possible the damage to Penn State’s recruiting class is not quite done. The most notable player to watch currently committed to Penn State is four-star safety Matt Sieg. Sieg is set to announce his final decision on the first day of the early signing period, and James Franklin and Virginia Tech have become a trendy prediction for his commitment. Franklin has already snagged a bunch of Penn State’s commits on his way to Virginia Tech, and Sieg could potentially be the next to follow him south.
Is Penn State doomed in this recruiting cycle?
Yes and no.
Advertisement
The incoming Class of 2026 out of high school is going to be pretty rough overall, it would seem. The class has been reduced significantly due to the in-season coaching change, and there may not be enough time to salvage it for the early signing period. But the next head coach will get some time to work on the class for the traditional signing period. But do not expect a massive swing in the recruiting rankings for this current Penn State recruiting class.
But there is still hope thanks to the transfer portal. This may be a recruiting class that needs and receives a boost from the transfer portal. Whoever takes over the program will need to work the transfer portal in a big way to plug any holes in this recruiting cycle before going all in with the Class of 2027.
Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X, Facebook, and Threads.
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: What to know about Penn State’s early signing period for Class of 2026
