After decommitting from Rutgers last week, it did not take long for 2026 defensive lineman Tavian Branch to make the call for the Nittany Lions:
The Taylor, Pennsylvania native had announced his commitment to Rutgers on June 11 but abruptly reopened
his commitment on August 29. Branch visited Penn State for Saturday’s home game against Florida International, which appears to have sealed the deal.
The Skinny
Height/Weight: 6-3, 300 pounds
Hometown (High School): Taylor, PA (Riverside)
Ranking: 3-Star (0.8723 247 Composite, No. 843 overall)
Notable Offers: Oklahoma, Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Notre Dame
Highlights
The Tape & Outlook
Branch has the ability to generate pressure from both the interior of the line and the edge. Even when he does not get home to the quarterback, he disrupts passing and rushing lanes with his positioning and power. At 300 pounds, he is likely to play defensive tackle at Penn State.
A three-star recruit, Branch is a solid pickup for a coaching staff that excels at turning under-recruited players into studs. He does have experience playing on the offensive line as well, so a potential position switch is not out of the question.
