Class of 2026 four-star running back Messiah Mickens has decommitted from Penn State football, per On3’s Hayes Fawcett.

Mickens, the No. 209 player in the nation and No. 14 running back according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, was Penn State’s first commit of the 2026 recruiting class, pledging all the way back in August 2023.

Before James Franklin’s firing, Mickens had completely closed down his recruiting and refused to take visits elsewhere. The Harrisburg native is the No. 8 player in the state of Pennsylvania.

Mickens stuck with the Nittany Lions after former running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider jumped ship to Notre Dame in the offseason. Before officially locking in his commitment earlier this year, he took an official visit to Notre Dame, as well as an unofficial visit to South Carolina. He additionally held offers from Georgia, Miami, Alabama, Ohio State, and Tennessee, among others.

Mickens took official visits to Indiana and Oklahoma in November, and ultimately has decided to further explore his options. The running back is the second player to decommit from Penn State’s 2026 class on Wednesday.

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Michael Zeno

Michael is a junior from Eastampton, NJ, majoring in international politics. He's a diehard Knicks, Yankees, Rangers, and Giants fan. When he's not watching old OBJ highlights, he likes to bowl and play pickup basketball. He'll forever believe that Michael Penix Jr. was short. You can contact him at @MichaelZeno24 on Twitter or zenomanknows@gmail.com

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