Penn State’s 2027 recruiting class has taken some lumps in Pennsylvania, but the bigger picture may be pointing up.
That’s the read from recruiting analyst Ryan Snyder of Blue-White Illustrated, who said the Nittany Lions are already making real progress as they settle into Matt Campbell’s new staff and a more regionally focused approach. The early returns on 2028, in particular, have Snyder calling it a “fantastic start.”
Penn State’s 2027 class has leaned heavily national so far, with commitments from players in 15 different states. That wider net came as the staff worked to catch up in its own backyard, and the results in Pennsylvania have been uneven.
Former Penn State commit Khalil Taylor, a 4-star 2027 wide receiver, chose Nebraska in early July. He was one more example of the Nittany Lions losing out on local talent they once had a real shot to land.
So far, Penn State has commitments from only two players ranked among Rivals’ top 25 prospects in Pennsylvania for 2027: 4-star defensive lineman Stanley Montgomery, who is No. 6, and 3-star offensive lineman Ryan Robbins, who is No. 17. UCLA has matched that total.
Still, Snyder thinks the staff is starting to change the temperature around the program in the region.
“I've seen a lot of positive movement on the relationships within the region and how it could impact them for ‘28, ‘29 and beyond,” Snyder said in a recent interview. “It's hard to say, in my opinion, ‘Oh, they're not recruiting up to snuff,’ because they were put in a very difficult position.”
Campbell has already said Penn State was playing “catch-up” with the 2027 group, but he’s also made it clear he likes where things are headed. The 2028 class is where the momentum is showing up most clearly. Penn State already has commitments from 4-star cornerback Deonte Flemings and 4-star quarterback James Armstrong, both top-five players in Pennsylvania according to Rivals.
Snyder said the staff is beginning to build the kind of relationships that matter most with high school coaches and programs across the state.
“They've done a fantastic job of getting a good foot in the door at the La Salles and the St. Joes and the Central Catholics out in Pittsburgh,” Snyder said. “At the same time, they still have a lot of really good relationships from their time in the Midwest, and so you're going to, I think with time, see a steady progression with a little bit more of the regionals, just oftentimes because the regional guys are the ones who really stick.”
That Midwest footprint still helped Penn State in 2027. The staff leaned on old Iowa State ties to land 4-star linebacker Case Alexander, whom Campbell originally recruited to the Cyclones, and Penn State beat out Alexander’s home-state Oklahoma for his commitment.
The staff also kept two important pieces in place as it tries to build locally. Cornerbacks coach Terry Smith remains a major presence in Pittsburgh, where Snyder called him “one of the most, if not the most, respected coach” in the area. And Naz Oliver, Penn State’s director of recruiting, brings New Jersey ties, which matter with five of the Nittany Lions’ 2027 commits living there.
Even with those connections, Snyder said Penn State still took its share of hits on the trail.
“People call it negative recruiting, I call it recruiting,” Snyder said. “You do what you got to do.
And especially with the ‘27 class and the top guys in PA, a lot of really good coaches were like, ‘Hey man, look at what's going on over there. That coaching search was a mess.
They're unorganized.’ I think a lot of that was used against them.”
His prescription is simple: win games this season, and the recruiting pitch in the region gets a lot easier. Snyder said that would help create “confidence” in the new staff.
There’s also a new wrinkle looming over all of this. The NCAA’s age-based eligibility model could reshape recruiting, though Snyder said the full impact is still unclear. He expects it to matter more for the 2028 class than for 2027, since most programs are already “80-90 percent done” with their 2027 boards.
“We just don't know the exact rules yet, so it's hard to say,” Snyder said. “I would say it will probably impact ‘28 more than ‘27.”
Under the new model, players will have five years to play five seasons, starting when they enroll in college or the academic year after their 19th birthday. That could also mean some current Penn State players stay longer than expected.
Among the true seniors for the 2026 season who could return in 2027 are tight end Benjamin Brahmer, cornerback Zion Tracy, safety Jamison Patton, running back Carson Hansen and linebacker Kooper Ebel.
“You'll have that clarity in December, and really at the end of the season, too,” Snyder said. “Maybe that will impact them very, very late for ‘27, like you know a week or two before they sign. But for the most part, it'll really be more about how it impacts the portal in the immediate future, and then ‘28 and beyond.”
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