4-star LB Brandon Smith commits to Penn State

Penn State bolstered its 2019 recruiting class Tuesday, as four-star linebacker Brandon Smith committed to the Nittany Lions. Smith made the announcement Monday at Louisa County High School in Louisa County, Va., via NBC29's Wolf Gohlke.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound linebacker is a welcomed addition to Penn State head coach James Franklin's defense. Smith is the 26th-best prospect on the ESPN 300, ranking as the top player in the state of Virginia, and the second-best linebacker in the 2019 cycle.

The four-star recruit held offers from a number of big-time programs, including Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, Ohio State, and Florida State.

Penn State now has seven recruits in its 2019 class, but Smith represents the program's highest-ranked recruit to date.