Penn State’s recruiting board kept moving in Week 4, and the biggest theme was clear: the Nittany Lions are leaning hard into in-state and New Jersey talent while also working to flip a few key 2027 targets.
Even after the upset loss to Wisconsin, Happy Valley drew a heavy crowd under Matt Campbell. Several commits made the trip back to campus, and the staff also welcomed a mix of underclassmen from the 2027 and 2028 classes as the push continued on multiple fronts.
The current Penn State commits were well represented for the first Big Ten game of the Campbell era. 3-star offensive linemen Ryan Robbins and Jon Sassic both came in from the Pittsburgh area for Saturday’s matchup, and two players from New Jersey were also on hand.
3-star running back Chukwuma Odoh returned to Penn State for the first time since his official visit on June 19. 3-star safety Jonathan Galette was back in Happy Valley for the second straight week.
The 2028 class also had a headliner in 4-star quarterback commit James Armstrong, who visited Penn State for the second time this season after seeing the home opener against Marshall. Armstrong is ranked as the No. 9 quarterback in the country and No. 5 player in Pennsylvania.
Penn State’s work in the 2027 receiver group is also worth watching. With 4-star Landon Blum already committed, the staff is still chasing help from players committed elsewhere.
One of those names is 3-star Rutgers commit Jamar Taylor, who visited Penn State for the first time. With Rutgers off to a slow start, Penn State may try to pull Taylor into its 2027 class.
Another was 3-star West Virginia commit Chase Guers, who was in attendance as well. Guers is ranked as the No. 83 receiver nationally and No. 20 player in Pennsylvania in the 2027 class. He picked up an offer on Sunday after the visit, suggesting the staff is still making a late run at him.
The receiving room is young, so wideout may not be a glaring need in this class, but adding more depth there would still matter for Penn State.
The biggest name from Pennsylvania in the 2028 group was 4-star edge rusher George Parkinson IV, a Malvern Prep standout from the Philadelphia area. He’s ranked No. 88 overall, No. 12 among edge rushers and No. 2 in the state.
Penn State has hosted Parkinson more than any other school, though the competition is heavy. His top six, revealed on July 9, includes Ohio State, LSU, Oregon, Texas A&M, Penn State and Tennessee.
Another important in-state target is 4-star athlete Brandon Murphy Jr., who remains a Penn State-Ohio State battle and could be part of the staff’s effort to reestablish control in Pennsylvania. Murphy is the No. 4 player in the state.
Penn State also pulled in 4-star wide receiver AJ Lopez Jr. from New Jersey. He arrived with his high school teammate Odoh, who is already committed in the 2026 class. Lopez is the No. 11 player in New Jersey and holds offers from UCLA, Virginia Tech and Nebraska.
The New Jersey presence extended beyond Lopez. Tight end Quinn Weber, safety Mekhi McNair, wide receiver Dontaye Day-Thompson and defensive lineman Jayden Beckley were all at Beaver Stadium, and each of the 3-star recruits ranks inside the top 20 in the state in the 2028 class.
Penn State’s 2027 class already includes more commits from New Jersey than from any other state, which makes the area a clear pipeline for the program.
It was the biggest recruiting visit group under Campbell so far, and it also served as the final chance for prospects to come through before the White Out, which remains the season’s biggest recruiting weekend.
In Other News...
Penn State Veterans Called A Rare Meeting After That Wisconsin Collapse
The mood around Penn State has been pointedly serious since the 24-20 home loss to Wisconsin, and for good reason. Quarterback Rocco Becht and defensive tackle Keanu Williams said the team responded with a meeting aimed at sorting through what went wrong, resetting expectations and making sure the standard inside the locker room stayed intact after a frustrating finish.
Becht and Williams framed the conversation as an honest one, with players willing to own mistakes and speak plainly about where the performance slipped. The larger goal was less about dwelling on one bad night than tightening the group back together before the next stretch of games, with the veterans stressing unity, accountability and a shared push to get back on track. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Fans Have A New Reason To Question Matt Campbell
Penn States Week 4 win over Wisconsin left plenty for the fan base to chew on, but one sequence stood out for how carefully Matt Campbell handled it. Faced with 4th-and-1 at his own 38-yard line, Campbell initially sent the offense out, then used a timeout before ultimately choosing to punt. It was the kind of in-game pivot that can look either calculated or cautious depending on how the rest of the afternoon plays out.
Campbell later acknowledged the uncertainty around the call, saying he was weighing Wisconsins defensive alignment and the possibility of drawing an offsides penalty. For Penn State supporters, the moment added another layer to the discussion about how aggressively the staff wants to manage close games, especially when field position and momentum are hanging in the balance. The punt itself ended the possession cleanly enough, but the process behind it is likely to linger a bit longer. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Offense Has Something To Prove After Brutal Showing
Penn States offense comes into its trip to Northwestern with plenty to clean up after a rough showing against Wisconsin. The 24-20 loss was the first setback for Matt Campbell in his time as Penn States head coach, and the numbers told the story of an attack that never found much rhythm, finishing with just 223 total yards and 12 first downs.
David Brauns praise for Campbells offensive philosophy and versatility adds an interesting layer to the matchup, but the bigger issue for Penn State is proving that last week was an outlier. The Nittany Lions have a chance to reset quickly, and with the spotlight on the offense, there will be plenty of pressure to show more of the creativity and consistency Braun referenced when they take the field at Northwestern. [Read more 🡒]