4-Star Jackson Ford Makes James Franklin Admission After PSU’s Double Recruiting Win

Jackson Ford rapidly became one of the most desired edge rushers in the 2026 class. The standout edge rusher from Malvern Prep was securing offers and interest from some of the sport’s biggest college football programs. With the likes of Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, and Wisconsin all coming out in force, Ford was at the forefront of a hotly contested recruiting fray.

Every program had something to offer, but with Ford, it wasn’t facilities or depth charts. It was about the equation and comfort with coaches. That sense of belonging resonated most during his official visit to the University of Pennsylvania. “No. 1 was the relationships with coach Barnes and coach Franklin. It is easy to have a relationship with your position coach, but the one with the head coach meant a lot to me.” Ford said to On3. “Coach Franklin was really invested in me. We had real conversations, and he gave me great energy. How he acted in my recruitment was big.” And so, after months of waiting and plenty of back-and-forth speculation by fans and analysts alike, Ford finally made it official—he committed to Penn State, his own “dream school.”