Matt Campbell did not shy away from high expectations and a "championship mindset" in his introductory press conference as Penn State Football head coach (image via Mark Selders | Penn State Athletics)
Matt Campbell has received his first commitment of his time as Penn State Football’s head coach.
Saturday afternoon, Nebraska native Bryson Williams announced his commitment to the Nittany Lions. Williams is a 3-star Safety who was recently released from his national letter of intent to Iowa State. He had offers from Washington State, Minnesota, Vanderbilt, and a few others.
Here are 3 thoughts on Bryson Williams and the new Nittany Lions recruiting class.
1. Remember Joey O’Brien? Williams is Nebraska’s Joey O’Brien
The first thing that jumps off the page about Bryson Williams is his size. Listed at 6-4, 175, Williams has great size for a Safety.
With Williams size and ability to play Wide Receiver, he reminds me a lot of a former Penn State target, now Notre Dame signee, Joey O’Brien. O’Brien is listed at 6-3, 185 and also is an excellent Wide Receiver.
Their size and game similarities are striking. Don’t get me wrong, Joey O’Brien is a 5-star top prospect in all of America. Williams is not that caliber of prospect. However, he is a very good football player who has tons of similarities to O’Brien.
2. Williams has Elite Ball Skills
After watching the Westside High School star, one thing jumps out. Ball skills.
Bryson Williams has legit ball skills. It makes sense, considering he plays a lot of wideout, but it clearly translates to his primary position as a Safety.
You know the saying “Tips and overthrows, gotta have those”? Well, Williams makes that happen. His HUDL tape is littered with him making acrobatic catches, picking off tipped passes, and hauling in passes. In this regard, I thought of Zakee Wheatley. Wheatley made a living by having a nose for the ball. Williams could be that kind of turnover machine.
3. There is Probably More Good News on the Way
As this marks the first good news for Penn State recruiting in a while, I would anticipate more good news coming. This weekend could prove to be a big one for the class of 2026.
Prior to hiring Campbell, Penn State only had 2 signees. Now they could get a bevy of them with his guys from Iowa State. I like where Penn State stands with Kase Evans, Barry Fries, and Pete Eglitis.
This is likely just the beginning of the good news.
Ian Purdy covers Penn State Football Recruiting for NittanyCentral.
Purdy was born and raised in central Ohio and served for four years writing for his high school's newsletter. Currently studying Biblical Studies at Lancaster Bible College in Pennsylvania, Ian has been a lifelong Nittany Lion fan.
- Matt Campbell’s First Commit: 3 Thoughts on Bryson Williams - December 13, 2025
- ISU Signee Pete Eglitis Gets Campbell News Before State Final, Then Leads Team to Championship Win - December 12, 2025
- Inside Matt Campbell’s Search for a New Penn State Defensive Coordinator | Nittany Lions Hot Board - December 11, 2025
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