How Penn State Football Approaches Spending Money on Recruiting

When he was interviewing prospective head football coaches, Penn State Athletic Director Pat Kraft promised that the football program would have "elite resources" to spend. That certainly appealed to Matt Campbell, who did not have immense capital to spend at Iowa State.

Asked last December how much more money he would have at Penn State than at Iowa State, Campbell said, "All of it."

"There was never an opportunity or never a chance during our time at Iowa State where we financially had the ability to compete with who we were going against," Campbell said. "So you had to win at all the other things. And I’m glad we did, because the reality is, that still wins all the other things. You just get lost in the sauce of the financial numbers of it, but all the other things still matter the most."

That's instructive to remember as Campbell, general manager Derek Hoodjer and their staff put the finishing touches on Penn State's 2027 recruiting class. Campbell has more resources to spend on recruiting and the transfer portal at Penn State, but how does he plan to deploy them? Similarly to the way he did at Iowa State.

"How we use the money, I still think from our end that probably didn’t change," Campbell said. "I think, what’s the sweet spot? Team is still most important. Earning the money is [something] I still believe in.

"I think that is sometimes the hard thing, but earning it through production is something I still believe is right because the locker room sees it. If we don’t think that everyone in the locker room knows what everybody is making, you’re out of your mind. And so the reality of it is, it’s trying to do it in the right way that the team can be built and trying to figure what that looks like."

That's coming into play now with Penn State's 2027 receruiting class. After making great strides over the spring, the group has met some resistance. The Nittany Lions have 20 players committed to the class, which now ranks 13th nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Penn State's class ranked as high as fourth nationally this spring, peaking after a May commitrment from receiver Jamir Dean, now a 4-star prospect and top-20 prospect at his position. But Dean recently decommitted from Penn State's class and flipped to Georgia, a potentially key loss for Penn State's future offense.

🏠🏠 https://t.co/eVxtAcaRf5
— Jamir Dean (@JamirDean4) June 15, 2026

Dean also became the second Penn State 2027 commit to flip to Georgia. Kemon Spell, the nation's top-ranked running back who was committed to Penn State in 2025, joined the Bulldogs' class in February.

Penn State's 2027 recruiting process has hit another snag, as two Rivals analysts are predicting that 4-star Alabama receiver Deshawn Hall will committ to Auburn. Penn State has recruited Hall persistently, sending five assistants to visit him in May.

If Penn State does not get a commitment from Hall, it hopes to regain one from 4-star Pennsylvania receiver Khalil Taylor, who like Spell was a 2027 commit before James Franklin was fired.

Penn State's approach to spending money

SOURCES: Penn State is committing roughly $30 million in NIL money and $17 million in staff pool (assistant coaches, support staff, etc.) to Matt Campbell. pic.twitter.com/CSw9JDIzD1
— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) December 6, 2025

Kraft made clear last year that his next football coach would have access to "elite-level" finances. Matt Fortuna, who writes "The Inside Zone" newsletter, reported that Campbell would have access to "roughly $30 million" in NIL money for his roster.

"We want someone who will attract elite talent, retain players in the NIL era, and make Penn State a destination," Kraft said. "This is also about the modern era of college football. Our next coach needs to be able to maximize elite-level resources, attack the transfer portal, and can develop at the highest level."

Campbell and Hoodjer prioritized that money initially on the transfer portal and retention. Penn State brought in 40 players from the portal on the 2026 roster, 24 of whom played at Iowa State last season.

Campbell and Hoodjer also devoted budget resources to retaining 52 Nittany Lions, notably linebacker Tony Rojas, tight end Andrew Rappleyea, receiver Koby Howard, offensive linemen Anthony Donkoh, Cooper Cousins and Mylachi Goodman and most of their cornerbacks room. They didn't have the time or availability to recruit the high end of the 2026 market.

"What we really prioritized when we got here was spending a lot of time getting to know the current roster," Hoodjer said. "We wanted to start with who on the Penn State team fits what we're trying to do from a character perspective, from a football perspective and from what they're looking for. Does it align what we're looking for? And we felt really good about the players that we were able to retain here.

"And then there was a large contingent of guys available in the portal, both from Iowa State and from other schools. And where are the players, who do we have relationships with, where does it maybe fit with who we retain, what holes do we have now and where can the portal fill those gaps? We feel really confident in the team we put together, and hopeful for the future for sure."

Penn State football general manager Derek Hoodjer speaks to reporters at Beaver Stadium. | Mark Wogenrich/Penn State On SI

Campbell's 2027 recruiting class will be the first test of his ability, and want, to outspend teams for particular players. Penn State has done that in some cases. The Nittany Lions recently received a commitment from 4-star defensive end Elijah Guertin, a highly ranked prospect at a premium position.

Penn State also has commitments from 4-star Ohio offensive lineman David Tarawallie and 4-star defensive lineman Stanley Montgomery, the highest-ranked Pennslyvania recruit in Penn State's class.

But from an overall roster perspective, Campbell has said that having more money won't drastically change the way he uses it. Penn State will rely on its player evalutions to determine offer ceilings and be consistent with its plan.

"It’s great to have the money, but it’s using the money wisely," he said. "It’s using the resources correctly, building the right team and knowing what you’re trying to spend those things on and making sure it’s about the right things. Those things to me are most important, and to have somebody [in Hoodjer] that’s been side by side with me building great teams, I’m really excited."

Penn State Nittany Lions football coach Matt Campbell speaks at a press conference at Beaver Stadium. | Mark Wogenrich/Penn State on SI

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