2027 Recruiting Thread

[PSU89er]

That is crazy talk

Campbell's current class (his first full one) is not anywhere near the class Franklin brought in in 2015 (2nd in Big Ten, scads more blue chip guys, very few uber-reaches, and "dominated the state" with 7 or 8 of the top 10 in PA).
That's just silly talk.

Whether high school recruiting matters anymore? Whether it matters as much as it did? All viable debates - but comparing those classes as equal (or even somewhat similar) is whacked.

Have you actually looked at Franklins first class top to bottom. Who cares where the recruit comes from, because that is only complaint you can have. Franklin was landing a lot of PA kids and Campbell isn't. Lets just talk about how they rate. Franklins 2015 class had 25 recruits. The following 9 are the top 250 kids. Thats 36% of the class being in the top 250

Saquan Barkley (67)
Garrett Taylor (77)
Juwan Johnson (115)
Ryan Bucholtz (129)
Ryan Bates (143)
John Reid (156)
Andre Robinson (202)
Jake Cooper (208)
Irvin Charles (232)

https://247sports.com/college/penn-state/season/2015-football/commits/

Campbells current 2027 class has 20 recruits and 7 are in the top 250. Thats 35%.

David Tarawelle (67)
David Montgomery (70)
Aiden Gibson (103)
Keishjuan Telfair (117)
Elijah Guertin (190)
Cooper Terwilliger (206)
Landon Blum (222)

Penn State 2027 Football Commits

Penn State

247sports.com

Further as you look at the bottom of the class. 5 recruits at the bottom of Franklins class (20% of the class rated at an 86 or lower). In Campbells class the number is 2 (10%) and one of those is a long snapper.

Sorry, if that doesn't look and awful lot alike. I dont know what does, but I will add. Its sure appears as if Franklin had a lot more reaches which flies in the face of what you are saying.

 

[Marshall2323]

Have you actually looked at Franklins first class top to bottom. Who cares where the recruit comes from, because that is only complaint you can have. Franklin was landing a lot of PA kids and Campbell isn't. Lets just talk about how they rate. Franklins 2015 class had 25 recruits. The following 9 are the top 250 kids. Thats 36% of the class being in the top 250

Saquan Barkley (67)
Garrett Taylor (77)
Juwan Johnson (115)
Ryan Bucholtz (129)
Ryan Bates (143)
John Reid (156)
Andre Robinson (202)
Jake Cooper (208)
Irvin Charles (232)

https://247sports.com/college/penn-state/season/2015-football/commits/

Campbells current 2027 class has 20 recruits and 7 are in the top 250. Thats 35%.

David Tarawelle (67)
David Montgomery (70)
Aiden Gibson (103)
Keishjuan Telfair (117)
Elijah Guertin (190)
Cooper Terwilliger (206)
Landon Blum (222)

Penn State 2027 Football Commits

Penn State

247sports.com

Further as you look at the bottom of the class. 5 recruits at the bottom of Franklins class (20% of the class rated at an 86 or lower). In Campbells class the number is 2 (10%) and one of those is a long snapper.

Sorry, if that doesn't look and awful lot alike. I dont know what does, but I will add. Its sure appears as if Franklin had a lot more reaches which flies in the face of what you are saying.

So are we setting what Franklin achieved as "the standard?" I thought the standard was "excellence at the highest level" and a Natty. A more realistic comparison in the new NIL era would be Franklin's first year recruiting at lowly VT, compared to Campbell's recruiting at mighty Penn State.

 

[NittanyLionRoar]

Again—recruiting has changed. No need to give a crap about how many PA kids go to PSU. The same thing that’s leading the PA kids to go national (money) is the same reason we’re pulling in recruits from South Carolina, South Dakota, Iowa, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Ohio, North Carolina, and Louisiana. When you can go across the country to get the kid who fits your system, you do that.

 

[LMTLION]

Again—recruiting has changed. No need to give a crap about how many PA kids go to PSU. The same thing that’s leading the PA kids to go national (money) is the same reason we’re pulling in recruits from South Carolina, South Dakota, Iowa, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Ohio, North Carolina, and Louisiana. When you can go across the country to get the kid who fits your system, you do that.

I agree to a point, but it is still important to land good PA talent. I personally like watching kids from my region of PA succeed at PSU. I do think that translates to more news buzz and tickets sold. Taylor is an important recruit to land in that regard. It will be super interesting to see kids from South Dakota and Rhode Island, though. We will see how they mesh with the team, and if in fact their skills will translate to big-time football.

 

[bdgan]

I agree to a point, but it is still important to land good PA talent. I personally like watching kids from my region of PA succeed at PSU. I do think that translates to more news buzz and tickets sold. Taylor is an important recruit to land in that regard. It will be super interesting to see kids from South Dakota and Rhode Island, though. We will see how they mesh with the team, and if in fact their skills will translate to big-time football.

It's not just PA. PSU has zero commits from the top 5 in PA, MD, NJ, VA, NY, or CT. We have 1 from Ohio (Tarrawallie). We lost #1 Borque from Mass but got #4 Wood.

PSU is going to struggle if we can't get our share of top recruits in the northeast.

 

[Marshall2323]

Again—recruiting has changed. No need to give a crap about how many PA kids go to PSU. The same thing that’s leading the PA kids to go national (money) is the same reason we’re pulling in recruits from South Carolina, South Dakota, Iowa, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Ohio, North Carolina, and Louisiana. When you can go across the country to get the kid who fits your system, you do that.

If top prospects are leaving PA for more money, how does it translate that we get top prospects from Ohio, Louisiana or South Carolina? If they are difference makers, aren't they getting more money to stay in Ohio etc.?
Another thing about "national" recruiting, many if not most have families. I think there are still 18 year olds that might be more comfortable 2-3 hours from home than a 5 or 7 hour plane trip. Also assuming parents have influence in a decision, being able to attend home games might be a factor. Not everyone likes a short runway

 

[LMTLION]

It's not just PA. PSU has zero commits from the top 5 in PA, MD, NJ, VA, NY, or CT. We have 1 from Ohio (Tarrawallie). We lost #1 Borque from Mass but got #4 Wood.

PSU is going to struggle if we can't get our share of top recruits in the northeast.

I agree with the concern in general, but I’m willing to give him time to learn the region and am sure they do great for 2028. And it’s a long time between now and signing day in December anyway. Also, some of these “losses” are not losses. PSU did not “lose” Bourque, and neither did Georgia for that matter. Both schools were unwilling to pay $3m for two years and simply moved on. The more you read and listen to podcasts, it becomes apparent that we may be conserving significant funds for the January portal class that will need to replace several starters and land a QB. It would be stupid to spend all funds on recruits right now. I would suggest anybody on this board that’s unhappy with our payroll log onto Happy Valley United, and start donating.

 

[PSUForever]

Ohio State was 12-2 last year and Alabama was 11-4. Texas A&M was 11-2. Texas Tech was 12-2. All finished in the top 10 in the country. That doesn’t look like trailing off to me. If PSU finishes anywhere close to that this year, we would all be pretty happy, right?

Alabama got absolutely boat raced by an Indiana team made up of 3 stars for the most part. We would take their season but they wouldn't take theirs and no this is not your Nick Saban's Alabama so they have trailed off or regressed from those days. No way to deny it. Texas A&M consistently gets the least out of the talent they have.

 

[Marshall2323]

Alabama got absolutely boat raced by an Indiana team made up of 3 stars for the most part. We would take their season but they wouldn't take theirs and no this is not your Nick Saban's Alabama so they have trailed off or regressed from those days. No way to deny it. Texas A&M consistently gets the least out of the talent they have.

So our master plan is to play on a budget, and wait until our 3 stars turn into Indiana 2025?
Isn't that the plan of about 54 other P4 schools that don't spend in the top 10?

 

[Marshall2323]

Alabama got absolutely boat raced by an Indiana team made up of 3 stars for the most part. We would take their season but they wouldn't take theirs and no this is not your Nick Saban's Alabama so they have trailed off or regressed from those days. No way to deny it. Texas A&M consistently gets the least out of the talent they have.

Texas A&M? Shucks I thought that was PSU under Franklin. But we did lust after A&M's coach who was getting the least out of his talent.

 

[PSUForever]

It has nothing to do with Franklin. Franklin is gone. That’s old news. It’s about the endless rain of excuses I see here on a daily basis when a recruit chooses someone besides PSU.

You do realize recruiting is more than simply taking the higest rated guy at every position? Does it make you happy that we admit we have had some recruiting misses? Do you get some kind of satisfaction with everyone saying we missed out on that recruit?

Obviously we have missed out on guys in the '27 class. But at the same time there are reasons for some of the misses. It is not just some bizarre black and white thing where we miss out on a recruit and therefore Campbell sucks and we miss another well then he really sucks and we miss on a third and then a 4th and now we missed out on about 20 recruits so clearly Campbell is an idiot and can't recruit and we will be a loser program for decades. Now you and Marshall and Rigs and whomever else can take your smug smiles to the Va Tech games knowing BGJ is a better coach than Campbell.

 

[Marshall2323]

You do realize recruiting is more than simply taking the higest rated guy at every position? Does it make you happy that we admit we have had some recruiting misses? Do you get some kind of satisfaction with everyone saying we missed out on that recruit?

Obviously we have missed out on guys in the '27 class. But at the same time there are reasons for some of the misses. It is not just some bizarre black and white thing where we miss out on a recruit and therefore Campbell sucks and we miss another well then he really sucks and we miss on a third and then a 4th and now we missed out on about 20 recruits so clearly Campbell is an idiot and can't recruit and we will be a loser program for decades. Now you and Marshall and Rigs and whomever else can take your smug smiles to the Va Tech games knowing BGJ is a better coach than Campbell.

No one here ever said Campbell is an idiot, He's handcuffed with inferior resources in today's most important recruiting incentive. His AD boasted unprecedented NIL funds and promised excellence at the highest level. All the while pushing thru a 750 million dollar stadium upgrade at the most inopportune time. As the coaching search should have revealed to many, perhaps PSU is not the "powerhouse" draw that Kraft and some here seem to think.
If you bring in talent similar to what you have acquired in the past, there is every reason to expect similar results.
Making a meal with the same ingredients will likely result in the same taste.
Now, next tell me about that "coaching em up." LOL
I would suggest that it isn't "Marshall" and Rigs that are the issue.....it's those who are making excuses for the same old recruiting results that are looking over their shoulders at Virginia Tech.

 

[PSUForever]

No one here ever said Campbell is an idiot, He's handcuffed with inferior resources in today's most important recruiting incentive. His AD boasted unprecedented NIL funds and promised excellence at the highest level. All the while pushing thru a 750 million dollar stadium upgrade at the most inopportune time. As the coaching search should have revealed to many, perhaps PSU is not the "powerhouse" draw that Kraft and some here seem to think.
If you bring in talent similar to what you have acquired in the past, there is every reason to expect similar results.
Making a meal with the same ingredients will likely result in the same taste.
Now, next tell me about that "coaching em up." LOL
I would suggest that it isn't "Marshall" and Rigs that are the issue.....it's those who are making excuses for the same old recruiting results that are looking over their shoulders at Virginia Tech.

Just wait until the games start. We have to at least give Campbell a couple years to prove himself before whining and whining over recruiting. He has had recruiting misses and the talent pool he is recruiting is like his predecessor. That doesn't mean I'm going to panic and it doesn't automatically mean he will have the same on-field performance as his predecessor.

I know you think it will be exactly the same and the actual coach means very little so team A with recruiting class average player ratings of 89 for 3 years vs Team B with recruiting class average player ratings of 91 for 3 years results in Team B always winning. Like some kind of computerized result. Indiana say "Hi", by the way.

I'm telling you now there is no way Campbell could be as inept in big games and as pathetic in developing a passing game as his predecessor. That will manifest itself in PSU actually punching above its weight class some of the time (Team A beating Team B in above example).

 

[rigi19041]

It's not just PA. PSU has zero commits from the top 5 in PA, MD, NJ, VA, NY, or CT. We have 1 from Ohio (Tarrawallie). We lost #1 Borque from Mass but got #4 Wood.

PSU is going to struggle if we can't get our share of top recruits in the northeast.

Dominate Kansas, Iowa and south dakota

 

[NittanyLionRoar]

No one here ever said Campbell is an idiot, He's handcuffed with inferior resources in today's most important recruiting incentive. His AD boasted unprecedented NIL funds and promised excellence at the highest level. All the while pushing thru a 750 million dollar stadium upgrade at the most inopportune time. As the coaching search should have revealed to many, perhaps PSU is not the "powerhouse" draw that Kraft and some here seem to think.
If you bring in talent similar to what you have acquired in the past, there is every reason to expect similar results.
Making a meal with the same ingredients will likely result in the same taste.
Now, next tell me about that "coaching em up." LOL
I would suggest that it isn't "Marshall" and Rigs that are the issue.....it's those who are making excuses for the same old recruiting results that are looking over their shoulders at Virginia Tech.

What are you on about, then? If that’s really what you believe, why do you act all angry and defensive as if the posters on this board personally offend you with the support of PSU?

 

[RolexKong]

So our master plan is to play on a budget, and wait until our 3 stars turn into Indiana 2025?
Isn't that the plan of about 54 other P4 schools that don't spend in the top 10?

If a coach has a budget of $X and it only allows him to build a roister largely composed of 3-stars, what is his alternative?

 

[LB99]

Alabama got absolutely boat raced by an Indiana team made up of 3 stars for the most part. We would take their season but they wouldn't take theirs and no this is not your Nick Saban's Alabama so they have trailed off or regressed from those days. No way to deny it. Texas A&M consistently gets the least out of the talent they have.

You are right, it isn’t the Saban Bama era, but that may never exist again. Still, they went 11-4 and made the playoff. TX A&M had their best season in a really long time and have momentum (and gobs of money) now.

 

[LB99]

You do realize recruiting is more than simply taking the higest rated guy at every position? Does it make you happy that we admit we have had some recruiting misses? Do you get some kind of satisfaction with everyone saying we missed out on that recruit?

Obviously we have missed out on guys in the '27 class. But at the same time there are reasons for some of the misses. It is not just some bizarre black and white thing where we miss out on a recruit and therefore Campbell sucks and we miss another well then he really sucks and we miss on a third and then a 4th and now we missed out on about 20 recruits so clearly Campbell is an idiot and can't recruit and we will be a loser program for decades. Now you and Marshall and Rigs and whomever else can take your smug smiles to the Va Tech games knowing BGJ is a better coach than Campbell.

It is so easy for some of you to get triggered and lash out and call for some to leave and go to the VT board when not everyone buys into the hype right now. We don’t have to agree and that is ok.I have said it before, I think Campbell is a much better x&o and game day coach than Franklin, but he’s going to need more horses than he has ever had to compete in the B1G. This is a big business and it’s a win now environment. If he prefers to spend the cash in the portal and get older players, I’m on board with that, but we don’t know that yet. All we have to evaluate so far is the building of the 2026 team and recruiting. I think the 2026 team should be pretty good.

 

[Nits1989]

Just wait until the games start. We have to at least give Campbell a couple years to prove himself before whining and whining over recruiting. He has had recruiting misses and the talent pool he is recruiting is like his predecessor. That doesn't mean I'm going to panic and it doesn't automatically mean he will have the same on-field performance as his predecessor.

I know you think it will be exactly the same and the actual coach means very little so team A with recruiting class average player ratings of 89 for 3 years vs Team B with recruiting class average player ratings of 91 for 3 years results in Team B always winning. Like some kind of computerized result. Indiana say "Hi", by the way.

I'm telling you now there is no way Campbell could be as inept in big games and as pathetic in developing a passing game as his predecessor. That will manifest itself in PSU actually punching above its weight class some of the time (Team A beating Team B in above example).

I don’t think he feels that way. He says it has to happen immediately because of things Kraft said. I listened to Kraft and I didn’t interpret it like that.

 

[Nits1989]

It is so easy for some of you to get triggered and lash out and call for some to leave and go to the VT board when not everyone buys into the hype right now. I have said it before, I think Campbell is a much better x&o and game day coach than Franklin, but he’s going to need more horses than he has ever had to compete in the B1G. This is a big business and it’s a win now environment. If he prefers to spend the cash in the portal and get older players, I’m on board with that, but we don’t know that yet. All we have to evaluate so far is the building of the 2026 team and recruiting. I think the 2026 team should be pretty good.

Actually, I think that now, you need fewer horses to compete. The wealth is being spread further.

 

[Marshall2323]

Just wait until the games start. We have to at least give Campbell a couple years to prove himself before whining and whining over recruiting. He has had recruiting misses and the talent pool he is recruiting is like his predecessor. That doesn't mean I'm going to panic and it doesn't automatically mean he will have the same on-field performance as his predecessor.

I know you think it will be exactly the same and the actual coach means very little so team A with recruiting class average player ratings of 89 for 3 years vs Team B with recruiting class average player ratings of 91 for 3 years results in Team B always winning. Like some kind of computerized result. Indiana say "Hi", by the way.

I'm telling you now there is no way Campbell could be as inept in big games and as pathetic in developing a passing game as his predecessor. That will manifest itself in PSU actually punching above its weight class some of the time (Team A beating Team B in above example).

I checked 3 media sources rating Big Ten Coaches. Campbell's best rating is 5 and worse is 7. I think he's a good coach, that many here are trying to morph into a coaching genius. There are few coaches who can change water into wine. Convincing yourself that "he has to be better" doesn't cut it. By the way, Sporting News has Campbell as 21 among all college coaches and Franklin 20. Good luck though!
If you are the 6th best coach with the 5th best talent.....is that the secret sauce?

 

[LB99]

Actually, I think that now, you need fewer horses to compete. The wealth is being spread further.

He needs more horses in this conference than he ever did in the Big 12. He needs to have a more talented roster than ever before.

 

[Marshall2323]

What are you on about, then? If that’s really what you believe, why do you act all angry and defensive as if the posters on this board personally offend you with the support of PSU?

I'm not angry or offended. I enjoy the exchanges. I think it's amusing that so many are disturbed by a different opinion.

 

[Marshall2323]

You are right, it isn’t the Saban Bama era, but that may never exist again. Still, they went 11-4 and made the playoff. TX A&M had their best season in a really long time and have momentum (and gobs of money) now.

If a coach has a budget of $X and it only allows him to build a roister largely composed of 3-stars, what is his alternative?

In the Big Ten, if you can only afford 3 stars? My advice would be to look for another job.

 

[Marshall2323]

Just wait until the games start. We have to at least give Campbell a couple years to prove himself before whining and whining over recruiting. He has had recruiting misses and the talent pool he is recruiting is like his predecessor. That doesn't mean I'm going to panic and it doesn't automatically mean he will have the same on-field performance as his predecessor.

I know you think it will be exactly the same and the actual coach means very little so team A with recruiting class average player ratings of 89 for 3 years vs Team B with recruiting class average player ratings of 91 for 3 years results in Team B always winning. Like some kind of computerized result. Indiana say "Hi", by the way.

I'm telling you now there is no way Campbell could be as inept in big games and as pathetic in developing a passing game as his predecessor. That will manifest itself in PSU actually punching above its weight class some of the time (Team A beating Team B in above example).

Just curious, how long will it be till PSU wins 13 games again? Because with an inept coach winning 13 then it should happen this year.

 

[PSUForever]

You are right, it isn’t the Saban Bama era, but that may never exist again. Still, they went 11-4 and made the playoff. TX A&M had their best season in a really long time and have momentum (and gobs of money) now.

I will buy you a cup of coffee if either Bama or A&M wins a natty in the next 5 years.

 

[RolexKong]

In the Big Ten, if you can only afford 3 stars? My advice would be to look for another job.

Then Penn State will be riding a merry-go-round because it isn't getting any better any time soon.

 

[LB99]

I will buy you a cup of coffee if either Bama or A&M wins a natty in the next 5 years.

Ok. But I never said they would.

 

[Corner Room Breakfast]

Just curious, how long will it be till PSU wins 13 games again? Because with an inept coach winning 13 then it should happen this year.

I just want to see good, smart, tough football. Something that was slipping away. Wins and playoffs will be what it
is or isn't.

 

[LB99]

I just want to see good, smart, tough football. Something that was slipping away. Wins and playoffs will be what it
is or isn't.

I hear you and agree. However, Iowa and Illinois are thought to play good, smart, tough football and they never get close to a B1G title or the playoff because they lack the talent to get them there. Isn’t that the goal? You need a good mix of talent and good coaching, along with a little bit of luck here and there. Indiana was the perfect mix of all of that last season. That’s going to be hard to duplicate though.

 

[PSUForever]

I hear you and agree. However, Iowa and Illinois are thought to play good, smart, tough football and they never get close to a B1G title or the playoff because they lack the talent to get them there. Isn’t that the goal? You need a good mix of talent and good coaching, along with a little bit of luck here and there. Indiana was the perfect mix of all of that last season. That’s going to be hard to duplicate though.

We have better talent than Iowa or Illinois so playing tougher football with the better talent should mean something.

In the modern era of CFB with the transfer portal, HS recruiting importance has diminished. It is important but not the end all be all. Indiana has flipped the model on its head; they have yet to get even garner a top 30-35 HS recruiting class yet they are again predicted to make the 12 team playoff this season. That would be making the playoff each of the last 3 years with one NC, all the while having only average HS recruiting.

 

[Patterson825]

can you guys please stick to recruiting? This thread needs cleaned up

 

[rigi19041]

We have better talent than Iowa or Illinois so playing tougher football with the better talent should mean something.

In the modern era of CFB with the transfer portal, HS recruiting importance has diminished. It is important but not the end all be all. Indiana has flipped the model on its head; they have yet to get even garner a top 30-35 HS recruiting class yet they are again predicted to make the 12 team playoff this season. That would be making the playoff each of the last 3 years with one NC, all the while having only average HS recruiting.

Playing Ohio state instead of Ohio university means something too.

 

[LB99]

can you guys please stick to recruiting? This thread needs cleaned up

It’s all relevant to recruiting.

 

[DaytonRickster]

It’s all relevant to recruiting.

The Penn State Bar-B-que (formerly Lasch Bash?) gets rave reviews from recruits same as previous years. What young man wouldn't like that? Any idea how many commits previously came out of this type of activity?

 

[LMTLION]

Bat signal is up…. Rumor is it may be a linebacker.

 

[Nittering Nabob]

Bat signal is up…. Rumor is it may be a linebacker.

Case Alexander?

 

[LB99]

The Penn State Bar-B-que (formerly Lasch Bash?) gets rave reviews from recruits same as previous years. What young man wouldn't like that? Any idea how many commits previously came out of this type of activity?

I’m not really sure. It did seem like it garnered some recruiting momentum in years past.

 

[LMTLION]

Case Alexander?

Hopefully, that seems to be the best guess. He is an extremely private kid and it’s been difficult for the experts to get any type of read on him throughout the year. Oklahoma has been the competition on him trying their best to land him. His videos are great and remind me of a traditional PSU lb that eats up ball carriers. Fingers crossed. Edit - AZ’s bat signal posts apparently are 100% accurate on verbals within a day or two.

 

[PSUForever]

Hopefully, that seems to be the best guess. He is an extremely private kid and it’s been difficult for the experts to get any type of read on him throughout the year. Oklahoma has been the competition on him trying their best to land him. His videos are great and remind me of a traditional PSU lb that eats up ball carriers. Fingers crossed. Edit - AZ’s bat signal posts apparently are 100% accurate on verbals within a day or two.

Would be great to land Alexander! We need to improve our LB recruiting at LBU and this would make a strong statement while hopefully attracting other talented, tough LBs.