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Penn State adds to 2026 class with commitment from blue-chip edge
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Penn State has landed a commitment from Maivern (Pa.) Prep edge rusher Jackson Ford.
The 6-foot-4, 240-pound defender announced his commitment to the Nittany Lions on Friday. He’s one of the top-ranked recruits in the state of Pennsylvania for the 2026 class and chose Penn State over Ohio State, Kentucky, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
Ford took official visits to all 5 of his top options throughout the end of May and June. Michigan saw him last, but Penn State was the winner at the end of the day. Ford announced his commitment on his Instagram page.
In the industry-generated 247 Composite, Ford is ranked as the No. 31 edge prospect and the No. 8 recruit from the state of Pennsylvania. In the national player rankings, he sits at No. 306 overall and is rated as a 4-star.
Ford is a track and field athlete for Maivern Prep as well. As a junior, he posted a 12.42-second 100m time and recorded a 49-0 in the shot put. On the field, he was a Daily Local News All-Area selection after posting 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and 2 pass breakups.
His pledge is a big win for coach James Franklin following a week of tough losses. Penn State watched Glenside teammates Joey O’Brien, the state’s second-ranked recruit, and Grayson McKeogh, a major PSU target at tackle, both commit to Notre Dame within days of each other last week. Then Nazareth High quarterback Peyton Falzone flipped his commitment from Penn State to Auburn.
Franklin didn’t miss a step, responding with a head-to-head win over fellow Big Ten giants to add to what is a top-10 class. The Nittany Lions hold 21 known commitments in the 2026 cycle following Ford’s public pledge. You can see his highlight tape below, via Hudl:
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.