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Penn State Goes Recruiting in Massachusetts, Looking for its 2027 Quarterback

The Nittany Lions seek to add a quarterback to their top-10 recruiting class soon.
Mark Wogenrich|
Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell looks on from the field during the Penn State Blue-White Spring game at Beaver Stadium.
Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell looks on from the field during the Penn State Blue-White Spring game at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

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Penn State's 2027 recruiting class needs a quarterback, so the program sent a blitz to Massachusetts looking for one. Five Nittany Lions assistants, including offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser and quarterbacks coach Jake Waters, visited Xaverian Brothers quarterback William Wood on May 8 as college football's spring contact period enters its final two weeks.

The move demonstrated Penn State's significant interest in Wood, a 3-star prospect, and the growing competition for the 2027 class' remaining talent. In addition to Mouser and Waters, Penn State assistants Ryan Clanton (offensive line), Kashif Moore (receivers) and Savon Huggins (running backs) visited Wood at his Massachusetts home.

The only reason Nittany Lions coach Matt Campbell did not visit is that the NCAA does not permit head coaches to recruit on the road during the spring contact period. However, Campbell is spearheading the search for the first quarterback recruit of his Penn State tenure.

Campbell has built Penn State's top-10 class at a rapid-fire rate, earning 15 commitments since late March. But the class needs a quarterback, and a decision regarding that spot could come in mid-May.

Wood is among two quarterbacks Penn State is recruiting seriously. The other is Peter Bourque, another Massachusetts passer who is the highest-ranked uncommitted quarterback in the 2027 class. Bourque ranks seventh at the position nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite, and has scheduled his announcement date for May 14.

Bourque, who plays at Tabor Academy, iniitially committed to Michigan but reopened his recruiting process this past February. He since has visited Georgia, Penn State and Miami, and members of Penn State's staff have a visit with Bourque scheduled for May 12, two days before the announcement.

Bourque and Wood became Penn State's top two 2027 quarterback prospects after Arizona 4-star prospect Will Mencl committed to Oregon. Both are intriguing recruits.

Bourque, an Elite 11 finalist, is a polished, 6-4 passer who ranks as the No. 1 overall player in Massachusetts for the recruiting cycle. He also is 247Sports' highest-ranked uncommitted quarterback for the 2027 cycle.

Since decommitting from Michigan, Bourque has made unofficial visits to Penn State and Miami and also spent time at Virginia Tech in April. According to 247Sports' Tom Loy, Ohio State is interested as well.

Wood is a top-30 quarterback nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite, who also has received strong interest from Boston College and former Penn State coach Bill O'Brien. Wood has other official visits scheduled to West Virginia, Arkansas and Wake Forest.

Last season, Wood (6-2, 220 pounds) threw for 345 yards and five touchdowns to lead Xaverian Brothers to a 41-35 victory over St. John's Prep in the MIAA Division I Super Bowl at Gillette Stadum.

Penn State has a lot of returning quarterback experience on the roster but still needs one in the recruiting class. Rocco Becht has one season of eligibility remaining, as does Division III transfer Connor Barry.

However, three Penn State quarterbacks are freshmen, with Alex Manske having redshirted last season and Peyton Falzone and Kase Evans enrolling this past January. So what is Campbell looking for in a quarterback prospect? It begins with their relationship.

"For me, quarterback is funny," Campbell said. "It’s fit. It’s the relationship with the head coach. The head coach and the quarterback better be linked at the hip, ... because I feel like the quarterback has got to have the leadership ability, the toughness and the grit to control the locker room. I think you’re always looking for the right intangibles that way.

"Everybody likes fast, everybody likes arm strength, but those things don’t win. What wins is grit, toughness, character and the ability to lead others around. The locker room always knows who the quarterback should be."

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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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