Matt Campbell and Penn State Football face their first critical official visit weekend, with some of the Nittany Lions' top targets on campus. (Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images)
This weekend will kick off Penn State Football’s first big set of official visits, and there are 26 guests expected to arrive in Happy Valley.
Matt Campbell’s First Major Recruiting Test Looms for Penn State Football
The bulk of the visits are the verbal commits already in the class, with 19 of the 20 committed Nittany Lions making the trip. The remaining visitors are all elite targets from multiple positions, but there are three must-gets for head coach Matt Campbell and staff.
Who are they, and what are Penn State‘s chances? Let’s take a look.
Target 1: Top-100 WR Khalil Taylor (The Home-State Priority)
Top-100 overall and top-15 wide receiver Khalil Taylor is the highest-ranked recruit traveling to State College this weekend, and just like with the old regime, Taylor remains a top priority for the class.
The Pine-Richland superstar pass catcher was once committed to former head coach James Franklin‘s staff, but decided to rethink once the coaching staff was relieved of their duties last fall.
Competing with the West: The Aggressive NIL Push from Colorado and Nebraska
Taylor once had a top-6 program list, but with two cancellations, it looks like his choices are down to 4 teams; Nebraska, Colorado, Penn State, and Alabama.
Taylor has already officially visited Colorado, and sources have told NittanyCentral that the Buffaloes have been extremely aggressive with their NIL package.
Taylor will visit Penn State starting Thursday and will stay until Sunday.
For being a Pennsylvania native, it is worth noting he will be on campus longer than most, if not every visitor, this weekend, with most players arriving Friday.
The following weekend, Taylor heads to Omaha, visiting the Cornhuskers, then finally down in Alabama the weekend of the 19th.
As of now, Colorado and Nebraska have been the most aggressive financially, but that can change quickly, as we all have seen.
The Verdict: Why It’s Penn State or Bust for the Pine-Richland Star This Weekend
It’s going to be difficult to compete financially with such aggressive offers, but Taylor does truly adore Penn State and vibes are strong with wide receivers coach Kashif Moore.
Entering the weekend, it’s reasonable to give Penn State a 50 percent chance of landing Taylor, but if there isn’t a commitment this weekend, the Lions’ chances could drop considerably lower.
The longer this process drags on, the less of a chance Taylor has of becoming a Nittany Lion.
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Target 2: Four-Star LB Case Alexander (The Family Connection)
Alexander could arguably be the top must-have for this staff and for plenty reasons.
The four-star and top-10 linebacker is also a fringe top-100 overall recruit in the class, as well.
Quite simply, players like this who have strong reasons to join the program must not escape and go elsewhere.
The Ultimate Legacy Tug-of-War: Penn State Brotherhood vs. Oklahoma Heritage
Alexander’s brother is already on the roster, joining the staff from Iowa State.
A possible duo of two four-star linebackers in this class is an opportunity that must be delivered.
It’s a rather simple recruitment to follow along.
It will be either Penn State, where his brother currently plays, or Oklahoma, where his father starred for the Sooners.
Alexander was scheduled to visit Father’s Day weekend, but staff convinced him to change those plans and get him on campus before his expected official visit to Oklahoma on the 12th.
The expectation from staff has always been that the 4-star backer will end up a Nittany Lion, and that seems like a reasonable train of thought.
Look for a possible commitment this weekend.
Target 3: Four-Star WR Deshawn Hall (The SEC Battleground)
Deshawn Hall kicked off his official visit schedule last weekend at Auburn, and by all accounts, it went very well.
The 6-foot-5 superstar-caliber wide receiver will travel up to State College this upcoming weekend, and there has been some recent buzz.
According to 247’s Tyler Calvaruso, Penn State is in this battle much more than originally thought.
Hall would be quite the add too.
Rising Buzz: Kashif Moore Puts the Nittany Lions in the Mix
The 4-star and top-25 wide receiver has all of the SEC top programs after him, so it will not be easy, but Penn State has a chance considering wide receivers coach Kashif Moore has a very strong relationship with Hall.
After this weekend, Hall still has plans to visit Alabama and Tennessee.
This still doesn’t feel like Penn State is the favorite in this race, by any means, but this staff has shown a willingness to be aggressive, financially, with a player they really want. Hall could easily fit that bill.
As things currently stand, and before his visit, it seems like Penn State has around a 25 percent chance in this one, on even footing with the other three programs.
Contingency Plans: Secondary Options Still on the Board
If Penn State cannot strike gold with their top targets, there are still a few options out there to go after.
At the wide receiver position, three-star Basha, Arizona native Jaden Baldwin has a scheduled visit for next week.
Baldwin is a Pitt legacy and will be deciding between Pittsburgh, Penn State, Iowa State, and Colorado.
The Nittany Lions are firmly in the mix and, depending on how the weekend goes, could be more aggressive with Baldwin but for now, it doesn’t seem like Penn State is the leader.
At linebacker, Tyson Washington will be making his way up from Virginia for an official visit on June 5th, and the staff is super high on the 3-star backer.
The super athletic Washington is coming off an official visit with Syracuse over the weekend and has officials lined up with Virginia Tech and Clemson. Cuse is looking to be in third place with Clemson and Penn State as the favorites for now.
Both Baldwin and Washington are probably takes regardless of what other targets decide, and both would be a huge addition to an already established class.
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He started a successful Penn State Football account on X a little over a year and a half ago.
Tapped into recruiting both regionally and nationally, Ed graduated Rowan University with a Journalism degree.
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