Penn State just took another hit on the 2027 recruiting trail-and this one stings.
Maxwell Hiller, the towering 6-foot-5, 305-pound offensive lineman out of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, has narrowed his college choices to four programs. And despite being the top-ranked player in the state and the No. 1 interior lineman in the country, Penn State didn’t make the cut.
Instead, Hiller is focused on Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, and Tennessee. That’s a heavy-hitting list, and it’s not hard to see why those programs are in the mix.
If he lands at Florida, he’d be reuniting with former Penn State offensive line coach Phil Trautwein, who’s now back at his alma mater. If he picks Ohio State, he’ll be lining up for one of Penn State’s biggest conference rivals-a twist that could make this miss feel even more painful in the years to come.
For Penn State, missing out on Hiller is the latest domino to fall in what’s become a tough stretch for the program’s 2027 class. Just last week, the Nittany Lions lost out on Kemon Spell-the No. 2 player in Pennsylvania and the top running back prospect in the country. Spell, a dynamic talent out of McKeesport High School in the Pittsburgh area, committed to Georgia nearly four months after de-committing from Penn State.
And he wasn’t alone. That de-commitment wave included other top-tier names: four-star wide receiver Khalil Taylor (Pittsburgh), four-star athlete Gabe Jenkins (Pittsburgh), and four-star offensive lineman Layton Von Brandt (Middletown, Delaware). All of them backed off their commitments around the same time Penn State parted ways with head coach James Franklin-a move that clearly sent shockwaves through the recruiting landscape.
It’s not for lack of effort when it comes to Hiller. Penn State offered him back in May 2023-when he was still in eighth grade.
Since then, he’s made several visits to Happy Valley, including one just this past weekend for the program’s second Junior Day of the winter. The relationship was there.
The interest was mutual. But when it came time to name finalists, the Nittany Lions were on the outside looking in.
Losing a player of Hiller’s caliber-especially one from your own backyard-is never easy. He’s not just a local standout; he’s a national talent, ranked No. 11 overall by Rivals’ industry rankings. And when you’re trying to build a foundation for future success, especially after a coaching change, keeping elite in-state prospects home is often seen as a must.
Now, Penn State is left to regroup. There’s still time in the 2027 cycle, but the early signs point to a program in transition, trying to reestablish its footing with the next wave of top-tier talent.