Penn State and coach Franklin have already bolstered a strong 2025 roster. A lot of them also started getting reps at the ongoing spring practice. Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions are focusing on their 2026 class. Last week, they added their ninth commitment from a three-star in-state athlete, David Davis. It led the team to the No. 7 spot in the overall ranking. But this is certainly not the end. Franklin continues to try to land more assets to his defensive depth. Kevin Ford Jr. turned out to be one of the key targets on the list. And guess what, it’s not a lopsided interest at all. The four-star edge rusher announced a promising move, adding to Franklin’s hope.
Ford managed to grab offers from a total of 25 FBS schools following an impressive high school season. As a junior, Ford has been a force to be reckoned with in Duncanville. In 14 games, he scored 57 total tackles, 16 tackles for loss, and seven sacks. He also racked up 15 quarterback hurries, one forced fumble, another fumble recovery, and two pass breakups. The number speaks clearly of why he has been so massively chased after in the college football mix. The two dozens offer made it a bit clumsy for the athlete to judge and cut the craps down. However, after a thorough pros and cons analysis, he picked up top 12 schools as his favorites. Schools like Penn State, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Auburn, Texas A&M (etc.) made the cut.
Penn State has done commendable homework with Ford early on. They have landed a top-tier defensive end play class, including Abdul Carter, Odafe Oweh, Chop Robinson, and others. The list made them quite a catch for any defensive player. Defensive line coach Deion Barnes was the one to extend the formal offer to Ford last week. He was in absolute awe of his pass-rushing skills, and he made a really great push to launch it in Happy Valley. The outshot? Kevin Ford, the standout 2026 defensive tackle, took to his X to announce that he will be at Penn State today.
I’ll be at Penn state today
— Kevin “KJ” Ford Jr (@KJ4ord) March 29, 2025
Texas A&M is among the fiercest suitors of Ford. He listed the Aggies among the top four schools last month alongside LSU, Alabama, and Oklahoma. Coach Elko and the entire team visited him back in January and had a great time together. But now, the ball seems to be on Franklin’s court.
Initially, he was supposed to take a trip to Happy Valley on March 26th. Maybe for some reason, it has been rescheduled for March 29th. This will be a big weekend for the Nittany Lions, as they have to make a great first impression on the DT to beat out the intense competitors.
And what will they get in return? Ford is a versatile contributor in the field. Primarily, he plays defensive end and tight end in the high school years, but defensive end is where he feels the highest. The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder also has a knack for chasing the opposing QB. “That’s probably my best feature,” he said. “Just getting to the quarterback, getting sacks.” Pass rushing is another strong area of Ford’s, which impressed Barnes in the first place.
The most important thing that made him stand out among the intangibles is his indomitable will to improve. He will be such a dangerous offensive weapon to Franklin’s DT room. But is this a real shot? What is running through the DT’s head?
Where does Penn State stand in Kevin Ford’s ‘wish’ list?
Although Ford plays his high school ball in Texas, he doesn’t have a native tie to Texas. He was born in Chicago but brought up in Texas as he was just five when he moved to a new city due to his dad’s transfer.
Illinois or Texas, neither of these schools actually has a geographical correlation with Happy Valley. But still, Ford seems to be moved by what the Nittany Lions have to offer to their recruits. “Probably the White Out game,” he said. “Ya’ll got a good fanbase. Ya’ll are like very strong on the football team. The White Out games are packed. Most of the games are packed.”
But guess what, this year he is not planning to enjoy the show on TV from his drawing room. He wants to live the night amidst the Nittany Lions’ ambience. ”This season, I’ll probably go to one,” Ford said. ‘‘It’s the Iowa game. That’s when they have the White Out, right? Yeah, probably the Iowa game, hopefully. Whenever they want me out there.” However, for now, all eyes will be on his looming visit tonight.
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