Of all the Division I teams in contention to win the National Championship this year, Penn State has the surest odds of advancing to that final game. Their offense is one of the most dangerous-looking this year, with Drew Allar returning. And the defense needs no further introduction about what it can do this year. The defensive geniuses of James Franklin and Jim Knowles will create some magic, for sure. The Nittany Lions are one of the most attractive programs in the recruiting arena at the moment, purely because of their football. And because of all these upsides, a key recruit might be headed Franklin’s way.

Penn State currently sits at the 11 position in the 2026 class, just shy of making it into the nation’s top 10 (according to On3). But on 247Sports’ list, Franklin is sitting pretty in the 5th position. However, with this one recruit, they have a good chance of making it further upwards in the bracket.

Franklin and Co. hosted receiver Joey O’Brien from La Salle for an official visit this weekend. The versatile player can play both sides of the ball and comes with some great numbers. And with everything underway at the program, On3’s Steve Wiltfong thinks there’s a great chance of him ending up at Penn State.

Wiltfong said in an On3 Recruits video, “Penn State is recruiting him as an athlete that could play safety and at wide receiver. During his last visit in the spring, he saw Penn State’s plan for him as a two-way player. He has bought in on that and loves the Nittany Lions and his potential there as a player. I think he’s one of Penn State’s most coveted targets regardless of position,” the analyst added further. That dual-playing ability is something that Franklin wants to make serious use of. He played as a cornerback and as a receiver in the 2024 season.

O’Brien, in 2024, has 1,092 yards, 12 TDs along with 36 tackles, and 13 pass breakups on the defense. The numbers prove that on either side of the ball, O’Brien brings in some great potential. Andrew Ivins of 247Sports reckoned the same thought, that O’Brien can “make an impact wherever he lines up at the next level.”

Last year, he also established a single-season school record by recording 68 catches. The dual-ability player, with his versatility, also made it to the MaxPreps Junior All-American second team. There is a lot to look forward to in Joey O’Brien, but Franklin will have to fight off some other big contenders.

James Franklin will compete with 4 programs to land Joey O’Brien

The Nittany Lions HC will have to battle for this elite talent with four other names. One of them is Dan Lanning after O’Brien also paid Oregon a visit. “Oregon has moved out in front,” Wiltfong declared. When the player arrived at Eugene earlier for an unofficial visit, he told On3, “To be honest, I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did. They made a great first impression.” It won’t be easy for Franklin to fight off Lanning, especially because of how successful the latter is at recruiting.

Wiltfong also added, “The visits have been real impactful for Joey O’Brien because he said the same after his latest return to Notre Dame.” O’Brien holds the Fighting Irish in high regard too. He told On3 after he narrowed down his top 6 programs, “It’s championship-level football and an opportunity to get a meaningful degree from a prestigious school.” Notre Dame currently enjoys a 90.7% chance of scoring a commitment from O’Brien. The other two programs also in play are Tennessee and Clemson.

“Penn State, Notre Dame, Oregon: those are the three I’m looking at the most. You also have Clemson and Tennessee and others involved. But Penn State, Notre Dame, and Oregon are the front-runners for Joey O’Brien,” Wiltfong said. James Franklin stands in a unique position because O’Brien is a local talent for him. A home program, a stellar offense, a defense power-packed with talent, and a solid shot at claiming the National Championship: that’s what Franklin will offer to the young star. The question is, will the HC be able to swing him toward the Nittany Lions?