Over the last two and half weeks, Penn State coaches have been active on the recruiting trail, dropping on targets across the country. On Tuesday, the Nittany Lions coaching staff stopped by to see one of their top overall prospects in the 2026 recruiting cycle, 2026 defensive end Zion Elee.
The top-25 prospect according to Rivals committed to Maryland in early December, a bit of a surprising event at the time considering Elee's stature nationally. That being said, Elee's recruitment is far from over as Penn State and programs around the country will look to flip the St. Frances Academy defensive end away from the Terrapins.
"With Penn State, it's really just the history of edge rushers that have been there. And then how close it is to home (is also something I like)," Elee previously told Rivals about what stands out to him about Penn State.
That strong history of edge rushers will soon add another feather to its cap as now former Nittany Lion Abdul Carter is widely considered the top overall talent in the 2025 NFL Draft and will have the potential to be the No.1 pick in the draft come April 24 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.
Zion Elee scouting report
Elee is an elite physical talent at defensive end. He has a tall, long 6-foot-4 frame and shows exceptional speed and quickness for player weighing in at nearly 225-pounds. Elee has proven to be very effective on the field despite his raw technical abilities. He is quickly developing the hands techniques he'll need to beat the type of offensive tackles he'll face in the future. Elee's athleticism should allow him to standup and play in space at the next level. From a two-point stance or three-point stance, Elee shows a great motor when pursuing the ball carrier. In coverage, he can make it really difficult for quarterbacks to find open passing lanes because he has such a long wingspan.
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