Penn State Lands Commitment From Virginia Linebacker, Extending Hot Spring

Penn State’s hot spring on the recruiting trail has continued with another addition. Mathieu Lamah, a three-star linebacker from Virginia’s Patriot High School, announced his commitment to the Nittany Lions on Monday.

The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Lamah is rated as the nation’s No. 42 linebacker and No. 543 overall player for the 2026 recruiting class by 247Sports. He chose Penn State over Michigan, North Carolina and others. 

James Franklin has added six prospects to his 2026 class over the past month. Lamah becomes the latest, joining quarterback Peytone Falzone, linebacker Terry Wiggins, safety Darrell Casey, defensive lineman Isaac Chukwurah and offensive tackle Roseby Lubintus.

The class ranks No. 4 nationally and now stands at 15 members with Lamah’s addition. That’s a strong tally to be at by May, considering the Nittany Lions typically sign at least 25 recruits each cycle. There’s still a ways to go until Decemeber’s early signing period.

Lamah joins Wiggins, who committed on Friday, as the group’s second linebacker. That’s a position that will likely need some help next season with Dominic DeLuca set to exhaust his final year of eligibility and fellow starter Tony Rojas eligible for the NFL draft.