The Penn State Nittany Lions have locked in a key piece of their future secondary, securing a commitment from a standout defensive back from their own backyard. Three-star cornerback **Zachary Gleason** from Pittsburgh (Pa.) Central Catholic announced his pledge to Penn State on Tuesday[reference:0][reference:1].
“It just felt right,” Gleason told Rivals. “Being close to home and having my family there means a lot to me”[reference:2]. He chose the Nittany Lions over offers from Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Michigan State, Stanford, Virginia Tech (and coach James Franklin), and many others[reference:3][reference:4]. He has long been considered a Penn State lean, having visited the school 10 times since his freshman year and camping with position coach Terry Smith the past two summers[reference:5][reference:6].
Gleason (6-foot, 170 pounds) brings an impressive athletic profile and a ball-hawking mentality to the Lions’ defense. He clocked a 4.48-second 40-yard dash at Penn State prior to his junior season[reference:7][reference:8]. As a junior, he amassed 45 tackles (5 for loss), 10 pass deflections, three interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), a sack, and a forced fumble[reference:9][reference:10][reference:11]. He was named first-team all-conference in Class 6A after helping the Vikings win the WPIAL championship and reach the PIAA state title game[reference:12].
Gleason is rated as a three-star prospect and is the No. 21-ranked player in Pennsylvania for the 2027 class, according to the 247Sports Composite[reference:13][reference:14].
Gleason’s decision was heavily influenced by the culture being built by new head coach Matt Campbell and his staff following the departure of former coach James Franklin.
“Coach Campbell is building something special,” Gleason told Rivals. “You can feel the energy and the expectations. He wants guys who are going to lead and do things the right way”[reference:15][reference:16]. He also praised the team’s “culture,” stating that the coaches “expect a lot, but they also take care of their players”[reference:17].
Gleason becomes the second commitment in Penn State’s 2027 class, joining fellow cornerback Semajay Robinson, a three-star from Florida[reference:18][reference:19]. This commitment is a significant step for Campbell, who has focused on a “slow and right” approach to rebuilding the program’s recruiting class, which was left in flux following the previous coaching change[reference:20][reference:21].
