Western Pa.’s top football prospects for the Class of 2026

By: Chris Harlan
Wednesday, February 5, 2025 | 8:37 PM

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The Class of 2026 is on the clock.

With the arrival Wednesday of signing day, most of the top high school seniors in the WPIAL and City League have finalized their college football plans. That leaves college recruiters free to focus on a talented junior class that’s largely uncommitted.

Here are 10 recruits to watch over the next year.

1. Matt Sieg

Fort Cherry

6-0, 170, safety

The WPIAL’s top recruit is already off the board. Sieg verbally committed in November to Penn State, choosing the Nittany Lions from a list of scholarship offers that included Pitt and West Virginia, along with Southern Cal, Iowa, Wisconsin and others. He listed 20 in all. Fort Cherry won consecutive WPIAL Class A titles behind Sieg, a standout quarterback and defensive back. He joined former Jeannette star Terrelle Pryor as only players in WPIAL history to surpass 4,000 career yards in both passing and rushing. A multi-sport athlete, Sieg showed his sprinter’s speed last spring when his relay team won gold at states. Rivals rated him as a four-star prospect and ranked him as the 16th-best safety nationally. He also held offers from Akron, Buffalo, Marshall, Maryland, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Rutgers, Syracuse, Vanderbilt and Virginia.

Watch Matt Sieg highlights

2. Jay Timmons

Pine-Richland

5-11, 175, defensive back

Since winning a WPIAL football title in November, Timmons’ list of offers has more than doubled. The son of a former Steelers linebacker, Timmons announced more than a dozen offers since Jan. 1. He added Power 4 offers from West Virginia, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Maryland and Wisconsin. He lists 19 offers, including Pitt. The two-way standout led Pine-Richand in catches (40), receiving yards (755) and interceptions (four). He also forced three fumbles for the WPIAL Class 5A champion. Rivals rates Timmons as a three-star prospect and 30th among cornerbacks nationally. He also listed offers from Akron, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Delaware, Eastern Michigan, Sacramento State, South Florida, Syracuse, Temple, Toledo, UConn and UNLV.

Watch Jay Timmons highlights

3. Reston Lehman

Peters Township

6-4, 230, linebacker

Lehman’s recruiting interest is also on the rise. He added 13 offers since Jan. 1. His list now includes Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia, along with Boston College, Cincinnati, Delaware, Eastern Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Toledo, Tulane, Virginia Tech, UCLA and Wisconsin. Rivals ranks Lehman as a three-star prospect and 34th nationally among edge defenders. He had 13 tackles for a loss, four sacks, three interceptions and two forced fumbles last season for the WPIAL Class 5A runner-up.

Watch Reston Lehman highlights

4. Colsen Gatten

Central Catholic

6-1½, 210, linebacker

Gatten started drawing Power 4 offers before his sophomore season, including from Pitt and Penn State. His list added West Virginia, Cal, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas A&M, among many others. Rivals rated Gatten as a three-star prospect and 43rd among linebackers. He had 51 tackles and three interceptions last fall for the WPIAL Class 6A champion. His father, Aaron, played at Penn State. Boston College, Cincinnati, Duke, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska, Temple and Wisconsin also offered.

Watch Colsen Gatten highlights

5. David Davis

Imani Christian

6-0, 190, defensive back

Davis last month narrowed his college options to six schools: Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Nebraska and Michigan State. He listed 15 offers in all. Rivals rated him as a three-star prospect and 27th overall among athletes. A defensive back and running back, Davis scored 10 touchdowns last season for the Saints.

Watch David Davis highlights

6. Ashton Blatt

Central Catholic

6-4, 230, defensive end

Blatt received all 14 of his offers since October, boosted by a strong junior season and a team-high seven sacks. He added Penn State last week to a list that includes Pitt, West Virginia, Duke, Eastern Michigan, Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota, Syracuse, Toledo, UCLA and Wisconsin. Rated by Rivals as a three-star prospect.

Watch Ashton Blatt highlights

7. Kyshawn Robinson

Westinghouse

5-10, 170, defensive back

A hip injury sidelined Robinson all last season, but he continued to add offers. His list has more than three dozen schools with UCLA among his newest. Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, Clemson, Florida State, Oregon, SMU and Texas A&M highlight the City League standout’s list. Rivals ranked him 34th among cornerbacks as a three-star recruit.

Watch Kyshawn Robinson highlights

8. Brendan Alexander

Central Valley

6-4, 290, offensive line

An all-conference pick on both sides of the ball, Alexander is the WPIAL’s top lineman in the 2026 class. Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia are among his two dozen offers, along with Arkansas, Duke, Georgia Tech, Stanford and Wisconsin. Rivals rated him as a three-star recruit and 75th among offensive tackles.

Watch Brendan Alexander highlights

9. Da’Ron Barksdale

Steel Valley

5-11, 175, defensive back

A knee injury cost Barksdale his sophomore season, just as his recruitment was heating up with offers from Pitt, West Virginia and Syracuse. He successfully returned to the field last fall. Rivals ranks Barksdale 21st among athletes. Bowling Green, UMass and Sacramento State offered in recent weeks.

Watch Da’Ron Barksdale highlights

10. Daiveon Taylor

Aliquippa

6-2, 210, linebacker

Taylor was a WVU commit but reopened his recruitment in December after the Mountaineers changed coaches. He had Pitt, Penn State and Syracuse among his original offers.

Watch Daiveon Taylor highlights

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.