Overview
- Four-star tight end Pierce Petersohn flipped from Penn State to Virginia Tech on Thanksgiving after an official visit, pointing to Franklin’s tight end usage in his decision.
- Earlier Thursday, four-star offensive tackle Marlen Bright switched to the Hokies and three-star tackle Roseby Lubintus committed, following four-star running back Messiah Mickens’ pledge earlier in the week.
- Virginia Tech is up to about 12 commitments in the 2026 cycle, and multiple outlets report the class has jumped into roughly the mid‑60s nationally since Franklin’s arrival.
- PennLive reports Penn State’s 2026 class has dwindled from 25 to seven commitments after the coaching change, with a separate kicker flipping to North Carolina on Friday.
- On3 projections point to additional potential flips among former Penn State commits, though reporting notes Virginia Tech’s comparatively smaller budget and NIL setup could temper further gains.