Penn State’s recruiting push is in full swing, but the flip board hasn’t exactly lit up in the Nittany Lions’ favor.
Matt Campbell and his staff are trying to create some momentum before the early signing period opens at the beginning of December, yet the early returns have been mixed at best. Penn State has already watched two commits walk away - three-star quarterback Will Wood and three-star linebacker Blake Betton - while adding only one new pledge, three-star running back Jordan Hall. That leaves the class at No. 21 nationally, now sitting behind Kentucky.
Hall was still a notable win. Penn State landed the former Miami (OH) commit over Ohio State and Missouri, which is no small thing. But the rest of the flip chase has been aimed at programs that don’t exactly project as recruiting heavyweights.
On Saturday, Penn State hosted three 2027 recruits who are already committed elsewhere during its 31-17 win over Purdue: Jayden Paulino, Arnold Mugerwa, and Ben Sakyiama. Paulino is committed to Boston College, Mugerwa to Rutgers, and Sakyiama to Syracuse. Brian Dohn of 247Sports also reported that the Nittany Lions are in the mix for Boston College commit Ben Rolapp and Wisconsin commit Will Zaccagnino.
That list says plenty about where Penn State is fishing right now. Among those schools, only Wisconsin has cracked the Top 25 this season, and only Wisconsin is projected to spend more than $25 million on its roster in 2026. Boston College, which flipped Wood and has held off Campbell for three-star defensive tackle Markius Woods, is sitting at the bottom of the spending ladder this season at $8-13 million, along with Paulino and Rolapp.
Here’s the current group Penn State is targeting in the 2027 class:
Jayden Paulino, DL - 3-star: No. 809 overall (Boston College)
Arnold Mugerwa, WR - 3-star: No. 469 overall (Rutgers)
Ben Sakyiama, OT - 3-star: No. 1864 overall (Syracuse)
Ben Rolapp, QB - 3-star: No. 1497 overall (Boston College)
Will Zaccagnino, DL - 3-star: No. 1300 overall (Wisconsin)
Paulino was offered by Penn State on Tuesday after his visit, and his recruitment fits a pattern that’s been developing around Campbell, general manager Derek Hoodjer, and the 2027 class: a clear attempt to chip away at Bill O’Brien’s group. So far, though, O’Brien has been the one doing the poaching while Penn State has come up empty.
Roster spending isn’t the whole story. Some programs simply spend badly, and there are examples like Florida State and Texas A&M this year. Still, it’s a useful way to gauge how the market values these teams and the kind of battles Penn State is choosing to fight.
And those battles are not coming against Ohio State, Notre Dame, Michigan, or Oregon on a regular basis. Penn State is trying to pry players loose from the lower end of the Power 4, and that strategy has not paid off much yet.
Mugerwa looks like the most important target in the group, both because of where he sits in the 247Sports Composite and because of Penn State’s need at wide receiver. Right now, four-star Landon Blum is the only wideout committed in the class, and Mugerwa is one of several receiver flip options, alongside Rutgers commit Jamar Taylor and WVU commit Chase Guers. Campbell and his staff probably land one of those three, but it doesn’t feel like a sure thing.
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Penn State Has One Big Reason To Watch Ohio State Tonight
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Ohio State is part of a crowded discussion that also includes programs like Notre Dame, BYU, Kentucky and Alabama, which means every placement will be scrutinized for clues about how the committee is thinking. Penn State has its own reasons to pay attention, because the rankings often reveal whether the committee is leaning on record, eye test or the sort of caution that can keep a team from repeating past mistakes once the seasons biggest games start to sort everything out. [Read more 🡒]
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The crowd in attendance also included potential flip targets and other prospects taking in the atmosphere and the way Penn State performed on the field. For a program trying to keep momentum rolling, those kinds of game-day visits matter, especially when the team can point to a convincing league win and the kind of environment recruits remember. The bigger question now is how much that visit weekend can move the needle with the players who were watching closest. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State's New-Look Roster Sent A Strong Early Message
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Roko Prkacin provided the loudest early statement, coming off the bench to score 24 points and set the tone for a group that also got important production from Brant Byers and Ivan Juric. For a team trying to establish its identity with a fresh look, the performance offered the kind of first impression that can matter well beyond one November game. [Read more 🡒]