Matt Campbell’s first full recruiting cycle at Penn State is already beginning to take shape.
The Nittany Lions have 15 commitments in the 2027 class, and the next wave of targets could determine whether Campbell’s first true class in State College becomes merely solid or starts pushing toward national top-10 territory.
Penn State is already well positioned with several regional prospects, especially in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic, but the board also stretches into the South, Midwest and beyond.
Here is a look at some of Penn State’s most important remaining 2027 targets, with predicted destinations and a brief breakdown of each recruitment.
RB Aiden Gibson — Woodruff, South Carolina
Prediction: Penn State
Gibson feels like one of the cleaner fits on Penn State’s board.
The four-star running back has already generated strong confidence around the Nittany Lions, and it is easy to see why. Recently, Gibson was named MVP of the Under Armour camp in Charlotte, North Carolina.
He has the size, production and three-down profile that would play well in Campbell’s offense. Penn State has long sold itself well to running backs, and Gibson would give the class a major offensive centerpiece.
LB Case Alexander — Washington, Oklahoma
Prediction: Penn State
Alexander is another target Penn State should feel good about.
The Rivals300 linebacker has the kind of athletic profile that fits the modern Big Ten: fast enough to cover space, physical enough to play downhill and versatile enough to be moved around.
Major credit has to go to linebackers coach Tyson Veidt for getting the Nittany Lions ahead of typical in-state favorite Oklahoma and making a strong impression during Alexander’s early April unofficial visit.
WR Khalil Taylor — Pine-Richland, Pennsylvania
Prediction: Penn State
This is the one Penn State cannot afford to miss.
Taylor is a Rivals300 receiver from Western Pennsylvania, and if Campbell is serious about attacking in-state recruiting, Taylor is exactly the type of player Penn State has to close.
With Penn State missing on McKeesport’s Kemon Spell and Coatesville’s Maxwell Hiller, the Nittany Lions can ill afford to miss on another elite Keystone State player. Taylor brings explosiveness, route ability and big-play upside.
The prediction here is Penn State because the geography, need and message all line up, especially with Taylor seemingly remaining positive about the Nittany Lions despite the wide receiver coaching change. Terry Smith deserves a ton of credit for Penn State’s positioning with Taylor.
TE Parker Newman — Sevier County, Tennessee
Prediction: Duke or Alabama
Newman is an interesting tight end prospect and one of the more natural Penn State fits on the board.
The Nittany Lions have a strong tight end tradition, and Campbell’s Iowa State background, combined with Taylor Mouser’s tight end philosophies, only strengthens that pitch. Penn State’s ability to sell usage, development and tradition at the position makes Newman a realistic and important target.
Still, this feels like a recruitment trending elsewhere. With Penn State already holding a commitment from Cooper Terwilliger, missing on Newman would not be devastating. The Nittany Lions also appear to be working hard on New Jersey tight end Sean Currie.
OT Layton Von Brandt — Appoquinimink, Delaware
Prediction: Notre Dame
Von Brandt included Penn State in his top four, and the Nittany Lions have clearly given him something to think about ahead of his expected commitment.
Still, Notre Dame has been viewed as the prohibitive favorite by many recruiting services, while Florida has gained significant late momentum. Penn State is in this battle, and a win would be enormous, but the safest call right now is that the nation’s No. 5 offensive tackle ends up in South Bend.
OL Carter Jones — Poquoson, Virginia
Prediction: Penn State
Jones is one of the more realistic offensive line targets on the board.
He may not have the same national profile as Von Brandt, but he could be every bit as important from a class-building standpoint. Penn State has strong odds here, and Jones would give Campbell’s staff a key interior offensive line piece with developmental upside.
Jones was recently visited by offensive line coach Ryan Clanton, and there seems to be the kind of connection Penn State wants with a top line target. Clemson is expected to make a serious push, but right now Jones feels unofficially locked in with Penn State.
QB Peter Bourque — Tabor Academy, Massachusetts
Prediction: Michigan or Georgia
Penn State’s 2027 quarterback board has shifted, and Bourque is one of the names to watch most closely.
The Nittany Lions need a quarterback in the class, and Bourque has the arm talent and regional fit to make sense. Michigan had been a major name connected to him earlier, but Penn State has worked its way back into the picture.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.With his commitment set for May 14, the feeling is Bourque wants to put the decision behind him and focus on his senior season. While Rivals still heavily favors Penn State, 247Sports has pointed toward Michigan. Georgia is also missing a quarterback in its current class and has fallen short for several targets, most notably Elijah Haven, who committed to Alabama.
Penn State is still involved, but Michigan or Georgia feels like the safer call.
QB Will Wood — Xaverian Brothers, Massachusetts
Prediction: Penn State
Wood is another Northeast quarterback Penn State has monitored closely.
He is a legitimate Power Four prospect, and the Nittany Lions may have to convince him that he has an opportunity to play early and be involved in the offense. Penn State is thin at quarterback after this season, which makes this recruitment even more important.
Failing to land either Bourque or Wood would increase the pressure on Campbell and quarterbacks coach Jake Waters to find an answer in the transfer portal, something they would rather avoid. This was displayed on Friday as Penn State had most of their offensive staff to visit with Wood.
The expectation here is that Wood becomes a Nittany Lion unless Bourque surprises and picks Penn State.
DB Gabe Jenkins — Imani Christian, Pennsylvania
Prediction: Penn State
Jenkins is an intriguing name and one of the better recruiting recoveries Terry Smith has helped lead.
Jenkins was once committed to Penn State when the Nittany Lions’ 2027 class looked like it could include a loaded group of Pennsylvania targets such as Spell, Taylor and Von Brandt. Then James Franklin was fired, and the class changed.
Penn State will likely miss on Spell and Von Brandt, but Taylor and Jenkins appear to be recruitments the Nittany Lions were able to stabilize. Jenkins is a versatile athlete who has produced in all three phases at the high school level.
Landing him again would be another major win for Smith.
WR Xavier Sabb — Glassboro, New Jersey
Prediction: Penn State makes it close, but most likely elsewhere
Sabb is one of the biggest names on Penn State’s board.
A five-star receiver from New Jersey is exactly the type of player Campbell would love to make a statement with in the region. The Nittany Lions have real traction, but this recruitment is national and will be hard to close.
Penn State is firmly in the mix, but the prediction is that Sabb ultimately lands elsewhere. Rutgers has made him a priority, and while the Scarlet Knights would love to keep him home, Alabama has gained serious momentum of late. That has turned this into a true three-way race.
EDGE Chris Whitehead — Lloyd C. Bird, Virginia
Prediction: Penn State
With the Nittany Lions seemingly falling further behind for five-star EDGE Abraham Sesay, Whitehead is the type of Mid-Atlantic defensive target Penn State has to prioritize.
He has the edge frame, athletic upside and regional profile that fits the Nittany Lions’ recruiting map. Penn State has meaningful traction here, and this would be a strong defensive pickup.
It also looks like one of the first of what could become many fierce recruiting battles with former Penn State coach James Franklin in Virginia. Whitehead has become a priority for top programs, and landing him would be one of Campbell’s biggest recruiting victories this year.
WR Matthew Gregory — Owen J. Roberts, Pennsylvania
Prediction: Penn State
Much like Taylor, Gregory has to be a priority for Campbell as Penn State tries to maintain its grip on Pennsylvania recruiting.
Although Gregory was not originally locked in with Penn State, former wide receivers coach Noah Pauley had helped the Nittany Lions build strong momentum. With Pauley departing for the Green Bay Packers, new wide receivers coach Kashif Moore has had to restart some of that push.
This feels like another Penn State-Notre Dame battle. Gregory has a knack for stretching the field and creating explosive plays, which makes him a valuable piece in this class.
The feeling here is that Taylor and Gregory could become cornerstones of Penn State’s receiver haul, joining Landon Blum and Jamir Dean, if the Nittany Lions can stave off a recent Georgia push.
CB Larry Moon — IMG Academy, Florida / Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
Prediction: Penn State
Moon is listed with IMG Academy, but the Aliquippa tie matters.
Penn State has to remain active with Western Pennsylvania talent, even when that talent finishes its prep career elsewhere. The tie that binds Moon to Penn State is Terry Smith, who also grew up in Aliquippa and is Moon’s primary recruiter.
Moon’s athleticism and defensive back upside make him a smart target, and the local connection gives Penn State a real pathway. Smith has long been Penn State’s secret weapon with WPIAL recruits and key defensive back targets across the country, but he will be challenged here especially from Ohio State.
Moon can look at Daryus Dixson and Jahmir Joseph as recent examples of defensive backs who could make an early impact in State College.
