Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1544053
5 8 A P R I L 2 0 2 6 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M P enn State was the only Big Ten team that didn't have at least one verbal commitment from a 2027 prospect as of mid-March. That may sound alarm- ing, but it was always going to take time for Matt Campbell and his staff to get settled in and start building relationships. The transfer portal took up much of the staff's time in January, but even af- ter welcoming the biggest contingent of newcomers in program history, the Nit- tany Lions have holes to fill in 2027 and beyond. While they will use the portal next January to address some of those needs, the composition of the current roster means that the Lions' 2027 recruit- ing class will likely be bigger than normal. A class numbering 30 signees looks to be entirely realistic. Below, we break down our projections for each position group. Quarterback Penn State has been fairly conserva- tive so far when it comes to offering 2027 quarterbacks. Peter Bourque has emerged as the top target following his decom- mitment from Michigan, while both Will Mencl and Keegan Croucher also rate highly on the staff's board. Bourque and Croucher have received four-star grades from Rivals, while Mencl is a five-star prospect and the nation's No. 1 signal- caller and No. 4 overall player. It's hard to imagine PSU doing any- thing to jeopardize its chances of landing a member of that trio. However, if they aren't able to get one of their top guys, it isn't out of the question that the Lions would take two, especially when consid- ering that current freshman Peyton Fal- zone isn't a lock to stay at quarterback long-term. Projection: 1 or 2 Running Back Even before the coaching change, Penn State was on track to bring in two run- ning backs in 2027. With the departure of underclassmen Tikey Hayes, Jabree Cole- man and Corey Smith, there's a case to be made for signing three ball carriers next year, but that's a lot easier said than done. With Iowa State transfer Carson Han- sen out of eligibility after this season, Penn State is likely still aiming to sign two running backs. It also wouldn't be sur- prising if the staff pursued a ball carrier in the portal next January. Iowa State had six scholarship running backs on its 2025 ros- ter, so the coaches are comfortable with that number. Projection: 2 Wide Receiver Four receivers with either freshman or sophomore eligibility exited via the portal in January, but the Lions were able to re- place them with three freshman-eligible wideouts in transfers Karon Brookins and PSU COULD BE AIMING TO SIGN 30-PLAYER CLASS IN 2027 RYA N S N Y D E R | RYA N . S N Y D E R @ O N 3 . C O M Four-star quarterback Peter Bourque of Tabor Academy in Hingham, Mass., is on the Nittany Lions' radar after decom- mitting from Michigan in February. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS