Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1545675
A U G U S T 2 0 2 6 10 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M J une will go down as a productive month for Matt Campbell and his staff in recruiting. The additions of four-star players like defensive end Eli- jah Guertin and linebacker Case Alex- ander were big wins for a Nittany Lion coaching staff hoping to make a splash. But June also saw three formerly committed players exit Penn State's class and land at other schools. That trio included three-star cornerbacks Semajay Robinson of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Zachary Gleason of Pitts- burgh. Listed at 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, Rob- inson earned an offer from cornerbacks coach Terry Smith in late January and immediately labeled Penn State his top school. An unofficial visit on March 28 then led the Dillard High prospect to become PSU's first 2027 commitment before he left campus. However, some people in Robinson's inner circle wanted him to continue checking out other schools, which he decided to do May 29-31 when he took an official visit to Virginia. That trip contributed to Penn State's decision to drop Robinson from the class. He ended up switching his commitment to Virginia that same day, June 9. Two days later, Gleason surprised many when he switched his commit- ment to West Virginia. Over the course of his recruitment, the 6-0, 170-pound Central Catholic standout had visited Penn State 10 times, making it clear early on that playing for the Nittany Lions was his goal. But after he committed to PSU on March 31, Gleason switched his repre- sentation to a new agency. The change indicated that money would be a big- ger factor in his recruitment than many expected. In the end, West Virginia of- fered more than Penn State was willing to spend on Gleason, prompting him to switch his commitment to the Moun- taineers. Gleason's loss stung, but Smith and Penn State's recruiting staff knew they were in a good position with other cor- nerbacks, lessening the blow. The ad- dition of three-star cornerback Dhillon McGee on June 24 proved the staff 's optimism was well-founded, fortifying the class at a key position group. However, the loss of wide receiver Jamir Dean was undoubtedly a major blow to the class. Listed at 6-1, 175 pounds, Dean was one of the first players position coach Kashif Moore targeted when he joined the staff in February. At the time, Penn State was competing with schools like Arkansas, Connecticut and Wake For- est for the Alcoa, Tenn., prospect. Dean visited PSU in late April, and a commit- ment soon followed. Unfortunately for the Nittany Lions, that commitment caught the attention of numerous other schools. Within a week of his pledge to PSU, Dean added an offer from Georgia. As is the case for many players who grow up in the South, the chance to play for an elite program in his region was too tempting to ignore. An official visit to Georgia the week- end of May 29-31 then led into his OV to Penn State a week later. Coming out of that June 5-7 visit, many close to the program expected Dean to stick with the Nittany Lions. He never came out and said so himself, but he hinted that's where he was leaning. But as time went on, the allure of playing for a program like Georgia be- came too much for Dean to pass up. He officially switched his commitment to the Bulldogs on June 15. "It's Georgia. You can't really pass up Georgia," Dean told DawgsHQ reporter Jeremy Johnson. He went on to add, "They've been Nittany Lions Regroup After Three Players Exit 2027 Class RYA N S N Y D E R | RYA N . S N Y D E R @ O N 3 . C O M As of late June, four-star receiver Khalil Taylor was nearing a decision. The prospect from Pine-Richland High in Gibsonia, Pa., was weighing offers from Penn State, Nebraska and Colorado. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS