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Penn State Football Adds 4-Star Tight End to 2027 Recruiting Class

The Nittany Lions received a commitment from Cooper Terwilliger, a 4-star prospect from South Dakota.
Mark Wogenrich|
Cooper Terwilliger, a tight end from South Dakota, performs drills during the 2024 Sanford Sports Football Academy Combine in Sioux Falls.
Cooper Terwilliger, a tight end from South Dakota, performs drills during the 2024 Sanford Sports Football Academy Combine in Sioux Falls. | Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Cooper Terwilliger, a 4-star tight end from South Dakota, became the latest player to commit to the Penn State football 2027 recruiting class. Terwilliger announced his decision Monday, joining the Nittany Lions' growing seven-player class that is climbing the national rankings.

Terwilliger committed to Penn State coach Matt Campbell after a recruiting process that took him to some of the nation's top programs. The tight recently visited Notre Dame and added an offer from Indiana to a list that includes Alabama, Texas A&M, Michigan, Wisconsin and Missouri, among others.

But Terwilliger chose Penn State after making several visits to State College, spending a weekend with the program in January. Campbell began his recruiting relationship with Terwilliger two years ago, offering the highly ranked tight end while he was coaching at Iowa State.

Terwilliger (6-5, 225 pounds) is a consensus 4-star prospect and the nation's 12th-ranked tight end, according to the 247Sports Composite. Rivals ranks Terwilliger as a top-200 player nationally.

Terwilliger plays for T.F. Riggs High in Pierre, which won its seventh straight South Dakota 11AA state championship last season. Terwilliger caught 38 passes for 549 yards and four touchdowns during his junior season. He has 79 receptions over the past two years.

Terwilliger joins Iowa receiver Landon Blum as the highest-ranked recruits so far in Penn State's 2027 class. Both earned 90 ratings from 247Sports and are ranked among the top 250 players nationally.

Penn State's 2027 class climbs into the top 20

With Terwilliger's commitment, Penn State's 2027 recruiting class moved up to 18th in the 247Sports Composite ratings. It marks the first time Penn State's 2027 class has reached the top 20 under Campbell, who has accelerated the program's recruiting pace over the past six weeks.

Penn State has received all seven commitments since beginning spring practice in late March. That includes five commitments in a one-week stretch. Campbell had to restart the Nittany Lions' 2027 class this year after all four previous prospects decommitted following James Franklin's firing last October.

"You're playing catch up in some ways in terms of your '27 class because to me it's no different than I said about spring practice: Slow and right is critical," Campbell said. "It's all about the human beings that we bring in here, and so I'm a huge person in relationships. Who fits Penn State, who fits our culture? And so we're going to do it slow and right. And we're going to make sure any young man that we try to bring in here is the right fit for our football program.

"Obviously having the the [Penn State] logo and the history of this place certainly gives you great opportunity to recruit in this region. ... But again, I I think the process of recruiting the right people, making sure it's the right guys you're bringing in here, we're always going to go slow and right in that process."

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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is the editor and publisher of Penn State on SI, the site for Nittany Lions sports on the Sports Illustrated network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs, three Rose Bowls and one College Football Playoff appearance.

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