Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1542734
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 6 5 7 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Keian Kaiser could have let the re- cruiting process play out and probably received a lot more attention than he did as a three-star linebacker coming out of Sidney (Neb.) High. But after get- ting acquainted with Iowa State coach Matt Campbell, Kaiser didn't see much reason to prolong his decision. Kaiser committed to Iowa State in late March and held firm throughout. At the time of his announcement, the 6-foot- 4, 215-pound prospect had just two of- fers, from Wyoming and FCS program Lindenwood, but plenty of other schools were showing interest and likely would have pushed harder if he hadn't locked in on the Cyclones. That was fine with Kaiser. He didn't need to hear from other schools after making his deci- sion. "I committed early for a rea- son, because of Coach Campbell and all the coaches," Kaiser explained. "They believed in me early. They were my first offer, and they made a great im- pression on me." When Campbell left for Penn State, Kaiser followed, announcing on Dec. 24 that he was joining the Nittany Lions' 2026 class. Listed by Rivals as the No. 156 linebacker nationally and No. 17 prospect in his home state, Kaiser finished with 352 tackles in four varsity seasons, leading Sidney to a runner-up finish in the state championship this past season. He also placed second at Nebraska's Class B state champi- onship in the high jump last May with a leap of 6 feet, 4 inches. "It's an OK number, but I should have gotten 6-6," he said. Kaiser won't enroll at Penn State until the summer, so he'll have an opportu- nity to improve on last year's showing. As a junior, he took up other events like shot put and discus to help improve his explosion, and he also worked with a speed trainer. "We got my 40 down to a 4.71, and I think I can get that down more as well," Kaiser said. "Before I enroll, I definitely want to get that down into the 4.6 range." — Ryan Snyder Three-star receiver Ben Whitver was on Penn State's radar screen even before Matt Campbell took over as head coach in December. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Virginia wideout grabbed the attention of PSU's previous coaching staff while they were pursuing one of his former teammates at Powhatan High, tight end Matt Hender- son. That connection prompted Whit- ver to visit State College multiple times, including for two camps in the summer of 2024. He eventually signed with James Madison but began re- thinking his options when Dukes coach Bob Chesney was hired by UCLA in December. A cousin, Jack Whitver, had played for Iowa State and had kept in touch with coach Matt Campbell and members of his staff. Campbell had moved on to Penn State and was interested in building up his first recruiting class. "Once I got released [by JMU], it moved quickly," Whitver said. "My dad contacted my cousin, and the rest is history." Listed by Rivals as the No. 120 receiver nationally and No. 23 prospect in Vir- ginia, Whitver concluded his career at Powhatan as the state's all-time leader in receiving yards, finishing with 3,501. He's ranked third all-time with 209 re- ceptions. What's more, he did it playing against some of Virginia's top teams, such as L.C. Bird, Hu- guenot and Manchester. Whitver excelled at multiple camps the past two summers, turning in a 4.49-second laser- timed 40-yard dash at the Balti- more Under Armour Camp last June. Add in a 9-foot, 8-inch broad jump, plus similar performances at Penn State's camps in 2024, and it's understandable why Campbell and new PSU wide receiv- ers coach Noah Pauley would view Whit- ver as a player worth adding this late in the cycle. "I'm really excited," he said. "I believe in Coach Campbell, and I believe in Coach Pauley. I believe that we're going to turn this thing around and make Penn State one of the powerhouses in the Big Ten." — Ryan Snyder COMMITMENT PROFILE KEIAN KAISER COMMITMENT PROFILE BEN WHITVER Ties To New Staff Lead Nebraska Linebacker Eastward Record-Setting Virginia Receiver Chooses Penn State Kaiser has good size at the inside linebacker spot and a frame that can add more weight. The strength of his game right now is his ability to read plays quickly and then shoot gaps to make tackles. He's going to have to get used to playing in space against the pass because he doesn't see it much in high school. But the Nebraska native has some projectable traits that make him an intriguing addition to [Penn State's] future defense. — Greg Smith, Rivals national recruiting analyst Whitver is just really good at football. Not only does he have the vertical speed you want to see, he's a run-after-the-catch mon- ster. He gets yards on screen passes and short-area plays, and he's a receiver who will catch the ball when you throw it to him. I think there's a little swagger to his game. He's competitive and fiery. He did a great job of stacking his highlights, be- cause on film, he shows everything you want from a receiver. When you watch him against quality competition, he's making plays all over the field. He is the Powhatan offense. It runs through him. When he makes plays, they move the football. — Thomas Frank Carr P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N P L A Y E R E V A L U A T I O N