After returning to national prominence under previous head coach James Franklin, the Penn State Nittany Lions are looking to get over the hump under new head coach Matt Campbell. Before they can do that, though, Campbell is making some changes around the Penn State program.
Part of leaving his mark on Penn State has meant a change in how the Nittany Lions recruit. In particular, adding size to the defensive line. That’s after Franklin was more than happy to put leaner and more athletic players along the line.
Matt Campbell Explained Why He Wants the Penn State Nittany Lions to Recruit More Size
GettyMatt Campbell addressing an Iowa State crowd
The Big Ten has long since had the reputation for producing big and strong players. So, Matt Campbell is embracing that now that he’s in the conference. In particular, with how Penn State is recruiting.
“We totally reshaped the D-line. I think my vision, our vision, [is to be] bigger and physical,” Campbell said on Signing Day. “This is the Big Ten, you’ve got to stop the run. We’ve got to be big and physical in there. I feel like, especially on the interior portion of the defensive line, I think we totally reshaped things.”
Because of the timing when Campbell was hired, Penn State had some trouble putting together its 2026 recruiting class. Still, Rivals had them ranked 64th nationally. That was just 15th in the Big Ten. In the class, Jackson Ford was the top recruit. An edge rusher, he measures in at six-foot-five-inches and 252 lbs.
Campbell spent more time focusing on the Transfer Portal last cycle. There, he brought in 38 new players. A large roster flip, it’s not shocking given the coaching change and the fact that Franklin quickly landed a new job at Virginia Tech.
Regardless of the reasons, Campbell bringing in six new defensive linemen is a quick flip at that position for Penn State. Within that group are Siale Taupaki, Dallas Vakalahi, Armstrong Nnodim, and Keanu Williams, who are all over 300 lbs along the defensive line.
Matt Campbell Needs to Recruit Pennsylvania Better
GettyNew Penn State head coach Matt Campbell is recruiting well, but needs to improve in the state of Pennsylvania.
It’s early in his tenure as the head coach at Penn State, but Matt Campbell has already found success on the recruiting trail. According to Rivals, Penn State has the 16th-ranked class in the 2027 cycle.
That class includes six four-star recruits. However, there’s an issue. Penn State needs to recruit better within the state of Pennsylvania. Among the Top 25 for recruits in the state, only four are committed to go to Penn State. Others are still considering the Nittany Lions, but local recruiting does need to improve.
“Penn State can recruit New Jersey. It can recruit Maryland. It can stretch into the Midwest, the South and the West. It can take developmental fits from all over the country and still build a strong class,” Kyle Golik wrote of the phenomenon. “But Penn State cannot become ordinary in Pennsylvania. That is the difference. The concern is not that Campbell has failed as a recruiter. The concern is that the state’s top names are not automatically trending toward Happy Valley. In a loaded Pennsylvania cycle, that matters.”
The month of June is an important one in college football for recruiting. So, it will be interesting to see how Campbell and Penn State approach it, particularly as it relates to local recruiting.
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