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The Hits and Misses of Penn State's 2027 Recruiting Class so Far

The Nittany Lions have gone through a series of highs and lows on the 2027 recruiting trail.
Mark Wogenrich|
Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell looks on from the field during practice at Beaver Stadium.
Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell looks on from the field during practice at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Six weeks ago, Penn State had the Big Ten's top-ranked 2027 recruiting class, one surging with 20 committed players and a lot of buzz for first-year coach Matt Campbell. The Nittany Lions' strategy of moving methodically from roster building to spring practice to recruiting season appeared to be paying dividends.

In early July, however, Penn State recruiting has snagged. Penn State's class still has 20 commits, having lost four since June, but now ranks 20th nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite. In the Big Ten, Penn State has fallen from the top spot to seventh behind Oregon, Ohio State, Nebraska, USC, UCLA and Michigan.

So what should Penn State football fans make of this recruiting arc? Is it the natural course for a new coaching staff, or does it foreshadow long-term concern? Let's meet in the middle and unwrap the positive and negative aspects of Penn State's 2027 recruiting cycle so far.

Stock up: Penn State already has landed some strong talent

Six of Penn State's 20 commits are 4-star prospects, according to the 247Sports Composite, and four of them are top-200 players. Campbell got a commitment from Ohio 4-star offensive lineman David Tarawallie, who is 247Sports' seventh-ranked tackle in the class.

He also landed a key commitment from Stanley Montgomery, a 300-pound defensive tackle from Philadelphia and the class' top-ranked defensive player. Kei'Shjuan Telfair is a highly recruited 4-star cornerback from Euclid, Ohio, who is a top-100 player nationally and Penn State's highest-ranked prospect in the ESPN 300.

Campbell also identified two offensive players who fit his system well: 4-star tight end Cooper Terwilliger from South Dakota and 4-star receiver Landon Blum, who plays 8-man football in Iowa. There's clearly talent in this class.

Stock down: An early lack of elite talent

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell looks on from the field during practice at Beaver Stadium.
Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell looks on from the field during practice at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Campbell is a developmental coach, and this class has plenty of players who can turn into starters and potential stars. But it currently lacks the elite (and expensive) players of other recruiting classes.

Penn State has two players in the 247Sports top 100, while Oregon and USC each have eight and Ohio State has six. Penn State does not have an offensive skill-position player ranked in the top 200.

Campbell has been Penn State's head coach for just seven months and continues to build his own recruiting base in the program, so this is a snapshot instead of a complete picture. Campbell's 2028 class, which will come into clearer focus after his first season, will be more open to conclusion-drawing.

Stock up: Campbell found his quarterback

Penn State worked through multiple offers and evaluations before landing on 3-star Massachusetts quarterback Will Wood, who committed in in May. Wood plays for a high-profile program in Xaverian Brothers, which he led to a state title last season.

Wood has size (6-1, 220), accuracy and the ability to run, traits that Campbell and offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser require from their quarterbacks. Further, he and Campbell have begun building the foundation of their coach-quarterback relationship that the head coach so values.

“Just getting to know the coaches [is why I committed],” Wood said. “Being able to play for Coach Campbell, a guy who I feel I relate to a lot, someone who runs a program the right way, someone who's won at a program [Iowa State] that never won, and now he's at Penn State, one of the best programs in all of college football. 

“Now he has all the resources to go win a national championship, and he feels I can be a big part of that. Having the confidence of someone like that, being able to get coached by Coach [Taylor] Mouser and Coach [Jake] Waters, who I think are two high-level young coaches who bring a lot of energy. I think all those components together brought me to a point where, yeah, I want to go to that school.”

Stock down: The misses are notable

Receivers Khalil Taylor and Deshawn Hall committed to Nebraska and Auburn, respectively, and Penn State couldn't hold onto a commitment from another receiver in Jamir Dean. As a result, a 2027 receiver class that could have been narrative-changing now has just one commit.

Penn State has missed on high-end targets in this class, dating to former commit Kemon Spell, who ultimately chose Georgia. Some of this is a money issue, though Campbell has a deliberate and disciplined approach to his recruiting budget.

Missing on highly ranked recruits is one thing. Missing on players they have targeted is another. This staff's ability to close will be something to monitor.

Stock up: A broader recruiting reach

Campbell has brought new territory to Penn State's recruiting reach. He has received commitments from previously unrecruited corners like Minnesota, South Dakota, Utah and Oklahoma. Terwilliger, the tight end, is the perfect example of a non-regional player committing to Penn State at a position the program values.

At Iowa State, Campbell proved that he could develop talent from these areas. At Penn State, he'll have more of an opportunity to do that.

Further, Campbell and his staff continue to grow their relationship base in Penn State's traditional recruiting regions. The 2027 class has commits from Philadelphia, western Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland. He'll have to grow in those areas, however.

Stock down: Pennsylvania recruiting

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell answers questions from the media following spring practice.
Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell answers questions from the media following spring practice at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Campbell never promised to "dominate the state," but Pennsylvania has been a blind spot for the 2027 recruiting class so far. Montgomery is Penn State's only in-state player ranked in the top 20, according to the 247Sports Composite.

This is a solid Pennsylvania recruiting class, with six top-130 players headed elsewhere. That includes the nation's No. 2 overall player, Coatesville lineman Maxwell Hiller, to Florida and the two former Penn State commits in Spell and Taylor.

Campbell describes himself as a developmental coach, which means developing relationships with high schools coaches (and agents) around the state in addition to with their players. He's doing that through the 2027 cycle, making 2028 imperative.

The good news there: Campbell already has received commitments from two of Pennsylvania's top-10 players for 2028, including James Armstrong, the state's top-ranked quarterback of the cycle.

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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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