Penn State’s 2027 recruiting class picked up some real momentum in Rivals’ latest rankings update, and a few Nittany Lions pledges got the kind of bump that can change the conversation around a prospect overnight.
That’s the tricky part of modern recruiting. As On3’s Pete Nakos noted in a companion piece, a rise in the rankings can also mean a rise in the price tag.
“Sources have told On3 that the price for a three-star commit can quickly change if he is bumped to a four-star by the recruiting rankings industry,” Nakos wrote. “The current market has left some programs hoping their recruiting finds will remain three-star recruits, even if they believe they are four-star talent.”
For Penn State coach Matt Campbell and GM Derek Hoodjer, that creates an interesting backdrop as they try to manage a disciplined recruiting budget. And in this latest Rivals refresh, several Penn State targets and commits made notable moves.
The biggest jump belonged to offensive lineman Tarawallie. Already Penn State’s highest-ranked player in the class in the 247Sports Composite, he went from three stars to four in Rivals and shot up to No. 14 nationally at his position. He also vaulted to No. 168 overall after sitting outside the top 300 before the update.
Tarawallie committed to Penn State in May, choosing the Nittany Lions over offers from Nebraska, Virginia Tech and others. With the December signing period still ahead, he’s the kind of prospect Campbell will have to keep locked in.
Another major rise came for Guertin, who entered the update as a three-star Rivals recruit but a four-star in the 247Sports Composite. Now he has the fourth star in Rivals too, along with a spot inside the Rivals 300 at No. 298 overall.
Guertin is the top-ranked player in Rhode Island and plays at Bishop Hendricken High, a program with 18 state football titles, including seven since 2018. Even after missing part of the 2025 season because of injury, he still earned first-team all-state honors from the Providence Journal, which called him an “elite two-way talent” and a player who is a “force getting to the quarterback.”
Penn State’s class also still features several highly regarded names near the top of the Rivals board. Kei'Shjuan Telfair, the 4-star cornerback from Ohio, remains the class leader in Rivals’ rankings. He sits at No. 93 overall and No. 12 at his position, and he’s also the No. 3 player in Ohio.
Stanley Montgomery, a 4-star defensive lineman from Philadelphia, checks in just outside the top 100 at No. 109 overall. Linebacker Case Alexander is ranked 12rd overall and 10th nationally at his position.
Not every Penn State name held inside the Rivals 300 after the update. Tight end Cooper Alexander, who had been No. 240 overall, and receiver Landon Blum, previously No. 279, both slid out of that group. Even so, both remain top-300 players nationally in the Rivals Industry Comparison, which blends multiple rankings into an adjustment total.
As things stand, Penn State’s 2027 class ranks 21st overall in Rivals, a group that has taken some hits and misses lately but still has several notable pieces moving in the right direction.
In Other News...
Penn State Receiver Enters Another Prove It Moment For This Offense
Keith Jones Jr. arrives in Happy Valley with the kind of background that usually keeps a receiver hungry. An unranked high school recruit who started at Grambling State, he spent his first year redshirting before turning into a productive target there, then reemerged as a three-star transfer prospect and found his way to Penn State.
For the Nittany Lions, the appeal is obvious: there is still runway here, and Jones has three seasons of eligibility to work with. The harder part is the immediate one, because he is stepping into a receiver room that already has a shape to it, which means offseason practices will matter a lot in determining whether he can carve out a role. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Desperately Needs A Receiver To Emerge And One Name Stands Out
Penn States receiver room has been reshaped again for the upcoming season, and the Nittany Lions are still looking for one player to separate from the pack. Among the returning options and incoming transfers, Chase Sowell has emerged as the name worth watching, especially with his final collegiate season approaching and the program needing a reliable target to take hold of the position.
Sowell already has a track record that makes him stand out in the group. He was productive in 2025 with 32 catches for 500 yards and two touchdowns, and that kind of output has helped him draw notice from evaluators, including Dane Brugler of The Athletic, who placed him among the top senior wideouts eligible for the 2027 NFL Draft. For Penn State, the bigger question is whether that promise turns into the kind of consistent production the offense has been missing. [Read more 🡒]