2026 Philadelphia Area High School Football Recruiting Big Board

The Philadelphia area has 15 recruits in the class of 2026 with at least one Division I offer for football.

Imhotep Charter and LaSalle College High School tie for the lead with three potential Division I recruits apiece, while four of the fifteen have already committed: 6-foot-6 athlete Wydeek Collier, a four-star headed to Rutgers, linebacker Terry Wiggins (Coatesville Area) and defensive lineman Alexander Haskell (St. Joseph’s Prep), both of whom plan to suit up for the Penn State Nittany Lions, and quarterback Gavin Sidwar (LaSalle College), another four-star who’s headed to Mizzou.

Just one recruit from the area, four-star athlete Joey O’Brien of LaSalle College, landed on the preliminary ESPN Top 300 for the class, a rarity for a region often touted as a recruiting powerhouse. For the class of 2025, for instance, St. Joseph’s Prep alone saw three recruits land on the Top 300 list. This year, they boast just two Division I recruits total on 247Sports’ prospect rankings.

Here’s a look at the top football prospects in the Philadelphia area for the class of 2026.

Ash Roberts, wide receiver, Roman Catholic: 5-foot-8, 170 pounds, uncommitted 3-star

Roberts attended a camp hosted by Penn State on the eve of his freshman season. The Nittany Lions must’ve liked what they saw from the speedy, shifty receiver, a class of 2026 three-star who’s listed at 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds and can beat defensive backs on the outside or find gaps in coverage over the middle.

“My freshman year I went to Penn State camp, got the ‘O,’ that’s when it really started. Took off from there,” Roberts said. “It feels good, but I just keep my head down, keep working.”

The offer sent Roberts’ name out over the airwaves, and more Power Four (then Power Five) bids began to flood in as his season progressed.

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Alexander Haskell, defensive line, St. Joseph’s Prep: 6-foot-4, 265 pounds, 3-star Penn State commit

A 6-foot-4, 265 pound recruit in the class of 2026, Haskell racked up 32 tackles and 5.5 sacks during his junior season, helping the Hawks to a PIAA 6A state championship.

Haskell primarily split time between playing 3-technique and 5-technique as a junior. As of right now, his frame and speed project him as more of an edge rusher at the next level, but that can change as he continues to bulk up. 247Sports’ scouting report on Haskell, courtesy of analyst Gabe Brooks, says that the rising senior could fit best as an interior lineman, but similarly notes that his potential to do so would hinge on his ability to bulk up further.

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Tom McGlinchey, QB/TE/ATH, William Penn Charter: 6-foot-6, 230 pounds, uncommitted 3-star recruit

Once William Penn Charter quarterback Tom McGlinchey started making official college visits, teams began to inquire about a switch to tight end.

McGlinchey stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 230 pounds. Teams began to look at him as a matchup nightmare down the field.

“I’ve definitely heard some things about it the past couple years, but it really ramped up this offseason. After I first started getting out to schools, it really picked up around February,” McGlinchey said. “People saw my frame and they realized that maybe I could make that transition. I’ve been doing everything to show coaches and schools that I’m able to make that transition and show that I’m the athlete that I am.”

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2026 Philadelphia Area High School Football Big Board

Semaj Beals, Quarterback, Roman Catholic: 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, uncommitted 3-star recruit

Charles Belser, linebacker, Imhotep Charter: 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, uncommitted 3-star recruit

Anthony Brown, ATH, Penn Wood: 6-foot-1, 173 pounds, uncommitted 3-star recruit

Sy’eer Coleman, running back, Imhotep Charter: 6 feet, 200 pounds, uncommitted 3-star recruit

Wydeek Collier, ATH: 6-foot-6, 200 pounds, 4-star Rutgers commit

Tyler Duell, offensive tackle, West Chester East: 6-foot-5.5, 265 pounds, uncommitted 3-star recruit

Jackson Ford, ATH, Malvern Prep: 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, uncommitted 4-star recruit

Grayson McKeogh, offensive tackle, LaSalle College: 6-foot-7, 275 pounds, uncommitted 4-star recruit

Jesse Moody, offensive tackle, Imhotep Charter: 6-foot-6, 345 pounds, uncommitted 3-star recruit

Joey O’Brien, ATH, LaSalle College: 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, uncommitted 4-star ranked No. 103

Gavin Sidwar, quarterback, LaSalle College: 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, 4-star Mizzou commit

Terry Wiggins, linebacker, Coatesville Area: 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, 4-star Penn State commit