Former Penn State four-star RB commit joins James Franklin at Virginia Tech
Former Penn State commit Messiah Mickens flips to Virginia Tech, becoming James Franklin’s first major 2026 pickup and the new cornerstone of the Hokies’ recruiting class.
Former Penn State commit Messiah Mickens didn’t stay on the market long. Two weeks after backing off his pledge to the Nittany Lions, the four star running back has reappeared in a familiar place: standing next to James Franklin. Mickens committed to Virginia Tech on Tuesday, becoming the first new headliner of the Hokies’ 2026 class.
Franklin wastes no time rebuilding Virginia Tech’s 2026 recruiting class
The 5 ’10’ rusher from Harrisburg was ESPN’s No. 13 running back and the No. 141 overall player in the cycle. He had committed to Penn State back in August 2023 and held the longest active pledge in the class until Franklin’s firing triggered a wave of decommitments. Once Mickens reopened his recruitment, he listed Indiana, Oklahoma and Ole Miss as finalists.
Mickens is widely regarded as one of the most complete young backs in the 2026 cycle. The Harrisburg native rushed for more than 1,200 yards as an underclassman at Bishop McDevitt, showcasing a blend of downhill power, short-area burst and natural vision that made him one of the earliest national offers in his class. He broke onto the scene as a freshman with multiple 100 yard performances in Pennsylvania’s loaded Mid Penn Conference and has been viewed as a future bell cow back since the day he stepped on varsity
But Franklin made his move early. Sources told ESPN that he contacted Mickens within hours of his hiring on Nov. 17. By Week 13, Mickens was on campus for an official visit during the Hokies’ loss to Miami.
Now he becomes the cornerstone of a recruiting class bracing for a rapid surge before the early signing period opens Dec. 3. Virginia Tech hosted several high profile visitors this past weekend, including former Penn State quarterback commit Troy Huhn, four star safety Matt Sieg and tight end Pierce Petersohn. Four star tackle Thomas Wilder, who decommitted from Tech in September, was also in Blacksburg and remains a priority target.
Franklin’s rebuild is taking shape fast. And it just started with the kind of recruiting win Penn State once counted on.
Penn State Nittany Lions News
James Franklin’s Virginia Tech hire is already pulling Penn State recruits to Blacksburg — and the exodus may just be starting
James Franklin’s move to Virginia Tech is already impacting Penn State as multiple Nittany Lions commits plan visits to Blacksburg amid a collapsing season.
