Penn State loses commitment from nation's 8th-ranked recruit

Penn State suffered a massive blow on the recruiting trail Sunday night when five-star defensive end Micah Parsons pulled his commitment to the Nittany Lions.

"I am officially decommitting from Penn State," Parsons wrote on Twitter. "I would like to thank the coaches and the fans for everything they have done, but I feel like this is the best decision for me and my family. They are still one of my top schools, but I just feel like I committed too soon and I need to focus on this upcoming season."

The 6-foot-3, 234-pounder is the top-ranked player in the state of Pennsylvania, the fourth-ranked player at his position in the country, and the No. 8 overall prospect on the ESPN 300.

He was the second-best player in James Franklin's class for the 2018 cycle, falling just behind the nation's top quarterback, Justin Fields.

Almost every top program in the country heavily recruited Parsons, including Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Ohio State, Michigan, and LSU. There will likely be a heated battle to secure his services now he's back on the open market.