Matt Campbell’s late push to land a quarterback for Penn State’s 2027 class came up empty this week.
The Nittany Lions spent their Week 8 bye trying to strengthen a recruiting class that already sits 20th nationally with 21 commits, and one of the biggest names on their board was four-star quarterback Braylen Warren. But the effort didn’t move the needle.
Hayes Fawcett of Rivals reported Tuesday afternoon that Warren has shut down his recruitment and will sign with Missouri, where he has been committed since Dec. 4, 2025.
Warren’s decision leaves Penn State still searching for a 2027 quarterback, and the need is obvious. The program had already lost three-star passer Will Wood to Boston College, while four-star James Armstrong is currently set to arrive with the 2028 class. Alex Manske is lined up to follow Rocco Becht after this season, but the room beyond that was already looking thin.
Warren would not have been an easy flip anyway. The Omaha Westside quarterback has helped his team to a 9-0 start and has thrown for 2,332 yards and 28 touchdowns, according to the report attached to the Rivals post.
His MaxPreps numbers show 97 completions on 159 attempts for 1,773 yards and 23 touchdowns, along with a 0.610 completion percentage. He’s averaging 18.3 yards per completion and 197 passing yards per game, and he’s fewer than 100 yards shy of his junior-season total of 1,847 yards in 12 games.
247Sports Composite ranks Warren as the No. 18 quarterback in the class and the third-ranked athlete from Nebraska behind five-star quarterback Trae Taylor and four-star safety Tory Pittman III. Both Taylor and Pittman are committed to Nebraska.
For Penn State, the setback keeps the focus on how much longer the program can lean on the portal and development alone at quarterback. Manske still hasn’t gotten much of a game-day chance because of Campbell’s steady loyalty to Becht, and the offense is also set to lose pieces like wideout Chase Sowell and tight ends Benjamin Brahmer and Gabe Burkle after this season.
Manske may have the traits to be the next man up, but the pressure on results is only going to grow from here.
In Other News...
Penn State May Have Finally Fixed One Defensive Problem
Penn State has spent much of the season shuffling pieces on defense, and the latest adjustment points to how much the staff is still trying to settle the middle of the unit. Head coach Matt Campbell said Marcus Neal Jr. has been moved from safety to off-ball linebacker, a move intended to add depth after injuries and some uneven play have thinned that group. It is the kind of in-season switch that can say as much about necessity as it does about development.
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For Sanderson, the appeal goes beyond the marquee matchups. The exhibition offers a useful first look at how Penn State stacks up in a live setting, especially at heavyweight, where Mirasola is slated to meet Wisconsins Braxton Amos. It is the sort of early test that can help clarify lineup decisions before the grind of the season really begins. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Finally Gets Linebacker Help Before A Suddenly Crucial Test
Penn State is trying to patch up the middle of its defense in a hurry, and the timing could hardly be more important. Iowa State transfer Marcus Neal, Jr. has been moved from safety to linebacker, a switch confirmed by head coach Matt Campbell, as the Nittany Lions look for answers in a group that has been leaning on just three main players.
The boost is coming alongside the expected return of backup linebacker Cam Smith, who has missed the past five games because of injury. Even with those pieces in place, Penn State still has some proving to do before it can feel comfortable about its depth, and the next stretch will show whether these adjustments are enough to stabilize a unit that suddenly matters even more. [Read more 🡒]