penn state unofficial visit football

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Penn state football offers no. 1 qb in 2026 after unofficial visit.

James Franklin and the Penn State football team have officially offered the No. 1 QB in the 2026 recruiting class a scholarship after a recent visit. Will the Nittany Lions be able to land this top prospect?

The Penn State football team has used the past few weeks to host a variety of prospects. A mix of players who are already committed and others who are searching for a school in the 2025 and 2026 recruiting classes. The top priority in every class is securing the quarterback position. It appears that the Nittany Lions will look to add multiple quarterbacks in 2025. Then, in 2026 at the bare minimum, they are looking to add another quarterback to build towards the future. After stepping foot on campus on Tuesday, Penn State has made an official scholarship offer to the No. 1 QB in 2026, Faizon Brandon.

According to On3 , Faizon Brandon is the No. 1 QB, the No. 2 prospect in North Carolina, and the No. 12 prospect in the 2026 recruiting class. He is a four-star prospect from Greensboro, NC, and has plenty of offers to back up his recruiting profile. Alabama, Georgia, LSU, and many other of the top programs in the country are after Brandon.

Now, he has announced that the Penn State football team is his 20th official scholarship offer from Division One programs. This past season he accounted for 3026 passing yards and 36 touchdown passes against 3 interceptions according to 247Sports.

I am excited and blessed to say that I have received my 20th D1 offer from The Pennsylvania State University!! #AGTG @DannyOBrienQB @coachjfranklin @e43fitness @RecruitGrimsley @grimsleyfb @BrianDohn247 @MohrRecruiting @RivalsFriedman @ChadSimmons_ pic.twitter.com/sMwUI7KbwT — Faizon Brandon (@faizon_brandon) March 27, 2024

Faizon’s visit led to the scholarship offer

It wasn’t just Faizon Brandon on Penn State’s campus taking a visit from Grimsley High School. However, it leads to why the Nittany Lions made the offer when they did. Grimsley football posted on social media a football of Brandon at the facility. He was joined by quarterbacks coach Danny O’Brien , his offensive coordinator, and teammate DJ Howerton.

Glad our guys were able to take the Spring Tour up to @PennStateFball ! #GDTBAW pic.twitter.com/uV7FWPU6qx — Grimsley Football (@grimsleyfb) March 27, 2024

Howerton is a 2026 tight end and athlete who has yet to be ranked on any major recruiting site. However, he has taken visits to Ohio State, Virginia Tech, and now Penn State. Once more players have a chance to be evaluated at the national level he will certainly be a name to keep an eye on.

Now, the Nittany Lions have options at QB in the 2026 recruiting class. They have been in contact and have recently hosted the No. 2 QB in 2026 Dia Bell , and now they have offered Faizon Brandon. It will be interesting to see which QB ends up representing the Nittany Lions for years to come.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on  Facebook  and  Twitter  for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on our social media. Also, be sure to check out our new site  shop . It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

Ex-Michigan 2025 commit sets official visit date with Penn State football

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Former Editor-In-Chief at Victory Bell Rings, Morgan is the current Site Manager for Basic Blues Nation, host of the Basic Blues Podcast, and co-host of the weekly Penn State Roar Room spaces. Morgan lives in upstate New York with his wife and cats.

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Official Look At Unofficial Visits

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DawgNation: A Look at Unofficial Visits

Unofficials mean -- and cost -- more than ever.

A father can't put a price on getting to watch his son play college football, but he can put a price on all that it cost to get him there.

For Maurice Smith Sr., that cost has been worth every penny. His son, Sugar Land (Texas) Dulles ESPN 150 cornerback Maurice Smith , is committed to reigning national champion Alabama.

But by the time the four-star prospect made that decision in June, his father was out more than a few pennies.

The Cost Of Unofficial Visits

The Smith family knows first hand how expensive unofficials are. After traveling from their Houston home to visit Alabama (twice), LSU (three times), Texas (twice), Baylor (once), Texas A&M (four times), Oklahoma (once), Nebraska (once) and Utah (once), the bill adds up. Quickly. Here is what the Smith family spent on visits:

Flights : $6,092.40 Hotels : $2,516.55 Rental cars : $940.97 Food : $3,151.25 Gas : $1,810.70 Total : $14,511.87

-- Max Olson, HornsNation

"With planes, gas, hotels and rental cars, it's cost at least $14,500," Smith Sr. said. "So yeah, it was a little bit."

Dad has unofficial recruiting visits to thank for all that missing money.

Unofficial visits have become the currency of today's college football recruiting world. They keep the modern recruiting machine running all year long.

They give recruits and their families a way to bypass the NCAA's rigid recruiting visit rules. Prospects can, with few exceptions, visit a college campus at any time of the year. They can stay as long as they'd like and can see and do whatever they please.

There's only one catch: The school can't pay for any of it.

These days, that doesn't seem to be a problem for the parents of top recruits. This is the new norm, a necessary means to landing scholarship offers and securing their sons' future. So the nation's best and brightest are racking up unofficial visits at prolific rates.

Smith made multiple trips to Texas, Texas A&M and LSU. He checked out Baylor and nearly committed during his Oklahoma visit. He even flew out to Nebraska and Utah.

"We were just willing to do it," his father said. "The sacrifice we made for him to really know where he wanted to go was worth it."

In the end, two trips to Tuscaloosa sealed the deal. By then, Smith had taken a total of 15 unofficial visits.

The nation's top recruit, Loganville (Ga.) Grayson defensive end Robert Nkemdiche , took at least that many visits before picking Clemson. Reuben Foster (Auburn, Ala./Auburn), No. 2 in the ESPN 150, has taken more than 20 unofficial visits since the start of his junior season.

"That's just how it is," said Vernon Hargreaves III , the nation's top cornerback. "You've got to narrow your choices down."

Long gone are the days when recruits waited for their five all-expenses-paid official visits, permitted at the start of their senior season, to start checking out college campuses.

Through the middle of August, 225 recruits ranked in the ESPN 300 have committed, including 107 members of the ESPN 150.

That's 75 percent of the nation's top recruits, and they're not the only ones who value unpaid trips. Lightly recruited prospects need as much face time with college coaching staffs as they can get. For them, relationships can lead to scholarships.

The ever-increasing speed of the recruiting cycle is raising the stakes for college coaches and has made early unofficial visits more of an expectation than ever before.

First there are junior days in February and March, then trips to spring games in April and May. Add in camps, combines and extra campus visits and you get an offseason that's not getting any cheaper and doesn't give recruits -- or their recruiters -- much time off.

And college coaches are beginning to take notice. In June, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer publicly criticized the NCAA's visit policies during a high school camp in Detroit.

"It is one of the problems I have now with collegiate athletics. It's almost anti-student-athlete where they have to come to us for camp," Meyer told ESPN.com. "How many kids can afford to fly or drive that far?"

Cooper Bateman is grateful he's one of the few who can. The Alabama quarterback commit and his parents embarked on a seven-day road trip in April from their home in Salt Lake City into SEC country.

Bateman took unofficial visits to LSU, Alabama, Auburn and Florida during his spring break. The tour required a total of four flights but proved invaluable for the No. 6 ranked signal caller.

"With all the money that it takes to get out there and see those places," Bateman said, "my parents looked at it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that we were going to take full advantage of.

"But there was a lot of money spent. I have to thank my parents from the bottom of my heart."

Hargreaves III waited until July for the bulk of his unofficial visits. The five-star Tampa (Fla.) Wharton standout took trips to 10 schools in the span of 11 days.

He started with Oregon, Stanford and USC. Then Hargreaves made his way across the country, hitting Notre Dame, Ohio State, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Georgia, Clemson and Alabama along the way.

"I have about 45 offers, and all of them want me to come visit," Hargreaves said. "You have to make some of them, just to see what you like and don't like. If you don't go at all, you'll probably pick the wrong school."

By the time he finally got home, Hargreaves knew he had no need for his official visits. He committed to Florida on July 26.

There are many reasons why recruits like unofficial visits, but one of the biggest ones is official visits can't last any longer than 48 hours, and thus their itineraries are meticulously planned. It's not that way on unofficial visits.

"On official ones, they just show you all the good stuff that they want you to see," Hargreaves said. "With unofficials, you see everything. Anything you want to do, you just have to ask."

Visits Have NCAA's Attention

The NCAA isn't sleeping on the issue of visits.

Impermissible benefits given during unofficial visits have led to sanctions from the organization against Miami, Florida and South Carolina in the past year. Concerns about who exactly is paying for these unpaid visits has helped make the NCAA take interest in the topic.

To address the modern flaws in college recruiting, the NCAA started a specialized football group within its national enforcement office last year.

The group is comprised of six investigators focused on researching recruiting and agent issues. Their mission is to develop relationships with a wide range of players in the recruiting world to get a better pulse on today's problems.

"The unofficial visit issue is one that has definitely been identified as a problem," said Rachel Newman Baker, an NCAA managing director of enforcement. "Not just how are prospective student-athletes funding multiple unofficial visits all over the country, but who's going with them? And what are the interests of those people who are going with them?"

Does a top recruit taking a high number of unpaid visits raise the NCAA's suspicions? Not necessarily.

"I don't think you can just say, 'If you're taking 20 unofficial visits, the enforcement staff is going to be looking at you,'" Newman Baker said. "It's more based on if there's information that a booster is funding those unofficial visits."

To Newman Baker, the issue of unofficial visits is one of many needs to be addressed. College football is ever-changing and many of today's problems flat-out didn't exist when the NCAA first drafted its recruiting manual.

The organization is reviewing how its bylaws meet the needs of the overall recruiting landscape. That includes visits, yes, but also the rules on calling and texting between coaches and recruits and the overall calendar by which the system is run.

Or, as Kenny Bigelow , who's No. 9 in the ESPN 150, put it: "On official visits, there's going to be a whole lot of sucking up from people wanting you to commit. On unofficials, people are just doing their own thing."

The nation's No. 2 defensive tackle is glad he avoided it all by committing to the Trojans last November. The way Bigelow sees it, waiting to take official visits before deciding would've led to a long, taxing recruiting process.

"I could've waited, but why have such a distraction on your senior year?" said the Elkton (Md.) Eastern Christian Academy star. "You've got to take the SAT, the ACT, take all your classes, get through the season, prom. It's all a distraction. To get it out of the way was a big problem off my back."

There may be one way for the NCAA to aid the modern recruit: Open up the visit calendar.

Permit the use of official visits in the spring and summer. Or allow five officials in the spring and five more in the fall.

Or, to take things a more practical step further, let recruits use some or all of their official visits during their junior season.

Bateman said he feels that's the most feasible solution. He and the rest of the nation's quarterbacks feel pressure to commit long before their senior season -- 119 have already made pledges, including 47 of the top 50.

Nearly all of them now have no need for four of their paid visits.

The early-decision expectations once placed only on quarterbacks has spread to the rest of the recruiting world, and the NCAA rulebook has yet to catch up.

Rachel Newman Baker, an NCAA managing director for enforcement, said the issue of unofficial visits has been identified as a problem by the NCAA and discussions are ongoing about ways to adjust the official and unofficial visit system.

"Trying to get those [recruiting] rules up to speed, and at a place that works with what's going on in the real world, is something that is going on right now," Newman Baker said.

Newly implemented renovations to the NCAA's basketball recruiting rulebook offer a hint at what could be on the way for football. Basketball recruits can now begin taking official visits on Jan. 1 of their junior year.

"Those coaches seem to be overall very pleased with where they ended up," Newman Baker said. "I think you very much can expect the same thing to happen with football here in the near future."

Still, it's hard to envision changes that would curb the trend of early commitments or the rampant use of unofficial visits. Many elite recruits have already started taking them before they've even played their junior season.

"That, to me, is a little overboard," Maurice Smith Sr. said. "Once you get an offer from a school now, they really want you to go spend money."

But he'll keep spending, because the opportunity to get recruited is a rare and incomparable experience. Just don't call it priceless.

The art of wowing a prospect

LOS ANGELES -- The John McKay Center has added a much-needed wrinkle to USC's on-campus recruiting, and prospects are noticing the shiny new toy.

The early returns should bring a smile to coach Lane Kiffin's face. A pair of Trojans commits who recently visited campus, including Mission Hills (Calif.) Alemany receiver Steven Mitchell , are downright giddy about USC's new $70 million athletic facility.

"The inside," Mitchell said, "is like heaven."

Recruiting pitches, as well as the program's use of the unofficial visit, are being updated. USC has always used its vast football tradition, private-school education and favorable locale as selling points. Now there is another appealing factor.

During an ever-evolving era, when having a state-of-the-art facility is not only important but necessary, the 110,000-square-foot McKay Center has become the Trojans' wild card, leaving some recruits wide-eyed.

"There's iPads in the lockers," offensive line commit Nico Falah said, grinning. "It's top-notch."

The unofficial visit is no longer just a brief meet-and-greet, but a serious pitch. Being a guest at one of USC's patented practices have been an integral part of unofficial visits, with recruits often left astonished at the intensity level and tempo of it all.

"We got to see all the receivers and their practices are pretty live," Mitchell said. "That's what I like about it."

USC has made good use of unofficial visits, and that only figures to improve with the emergence of the McKay Center.

Added importance at Penn State

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Unofficial visits have taken on a whole new level of importance at Penn State.

Recruits no longer have to reflect on just academics, playing time and the coaching staff. They have to look at the sanctions -- and look past any stain this program might have.

The Nittany Lions' staff has to overcome this handicap some way, and unofficial visits are one way it can combat that.

The staff wants prospects to look at the team as a family, so it wants those potential players to feel right at home. On unofficial visits, recruits are treated like part of the team. They watch practice, attend team meetings and chat with coaches. The sooner they feel like part of the team, the sooner they might commit to be part of that team.

"Recruiting's about relationships," coach Bill O'Brien said recently. "It's about making sure there's a trusting relationship between ourself and the person we're recruiting. It's about fit."

Four-star tight end Adam Breneman (Camp Hill, Pa./Cedar Cliff) wasn't certain about heading to Happy Valley until speaking with O'Brien face-to-face. He said he's traveled to Penn State "double-digit" times on unofficial visits, and he's already taken on a leadership role by broadcasting his love of Penn State through the media and on his Twitter account.

"It just helps get more comfortable with things," Breneman told ESPN about the visits.

Penn State will have an uphill climb for at least the next six years when it comes to reeling in prospects. So, if a recruit wants to come to Penn State on an unofficial visit, the Lions likely won't turn him away.

"I've been there three times," said three-star linebacker Brandon Bell (Mays Landing, N.J./Oakcrest). "And it got better each time."

That's exactly what Penn State's counting on.

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Need an account, already have an account, official vs. unofficial.

By Max Olson, HornsNation

The NCAA addresses official and unofficial visits in bylaws 13.6 and 13.7 of the Division I Manual. Here's a look at the significant differences between the two types of campus visits.

Official visits • Five official visits permitted. Each school may only receive one. • Visit can't be taken until opening day of classes in senior year of high school. • Football program permitted maximum of 56 official visits. • Official visit can't exceed 48 hours starting when recruit arrives on campus. • Transportation, lodging, meals, entertainment expenses for recruit and parent or legal guardian paid for by school. • Test score, high school transcript and NCAA eligibility center verification required before visit. Unofficial visits • Recruits are permitted unlimited visits at their own expense. • Can be taken at any time of the year except during dead periods. • No limits to length of visit. • School may not provide or pay for transportation to and from campus. • No permissible entertainment except three passes to a home game. • No test scores, transcript or eligibility center verification required.

Florida: The key to it all

By Derek Tyson, GatorNation

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Some colleges emphasize the importance of receiving official visits from prospects they are recruiting, but for the University of Florida, nothing is more important than getting prospects on campus for unofficial visits.

Just how important are unofficial visits to the Gators? Consider that 17 of Florida's 20 2013 verbal commitments committed to the Gators within a week of unofficially visiting the school.

For the full story, check out GatorNation .

FSU: Noles know what they mean

By Corey Dowlar, NoleNation

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The Seminoles' coaching staff is known to be personable, and so is head coach Jimbo Fisher. That evidence may lie in the top-five recruiting classes they've landed recently according to ESPN's rankings.

Because the NCAA restricts head coaches from going out on the road, save for their one allotted in-home visit down the stretch, these unofficials give Fisher a rare chance to make an impression on a face-to-face basis. And it gives him a chance to see if he will make an offer or not, he has said before.

In this new, sped-up atmosphere of recruiting that FSU lives in, unofficial visits and getting their top targets on campus could be arguably the most important facet of the process.

For the full story, check out NoleNation .

Georgia: Coaches keeping busy

By Radi Nabulsi, DawgNation

ATHENS, Ga. -- With slightly less than six months to go until national signing day, the University of Georgia has 26 verbal commitments for the 2013 class. By next week the Bulldogs could be looking at 30. Of course, not one of those committed players has taken an official visit to Georgia -- but all have been to Athens, Ga., at some point during their recruitment. Georgia's director of recruiting and assistant head coach Rodney Garner knows the value of those unofficial visits.

"Unofficial visits now are just so critical," Garner said. "When I first got in it there weren't many unofficial visits in the summer. You may have had four or five kids come in at some point in the summertime but it wasn't anything like it is today. Since signing day here in February, there have only been two or three weekends where we did not have kids on our campus. It has just totally changed to where it is 365 days a year."

For the full story, check out DawgNation .

LSU: Setting the tone

By David Helman, GeauxTigerNation

BATON ROUGE, La. -- LSU is in the midst of fall camp, and the season still sits two weeks away. But while the current team has yet to take a live snap, the next batch of signees is already almost complete. The Tigers' 2013 class is currently sitting pretty with 22 of a possible 25 commitments already on board.

Whatever the time table, there's one common denominator: LSU has landed 22 verbal commitments without the aid of an official visit to a home football game. The explanation, like so many others in the digital age, is the increased speed of communication.

"With social media and technology and YouTube and the different videos, kids are able to show off their highlights and game tapes. The accessibility is more available and frequent than ever before," said Frank Wilson, the Tigers' running backs coach and recruiting coordinator.

For the full story, check out GeauxTigerNation .

Michigan: Getting creative

By Tom VanHaaren, WolverineNation

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Since recruits aren't allowed to take official visits before their senior season starts, programs like Michigan have gotten a lot more creative with unofficial visits and getting families on campus.

The Big House BBQ is probably the most notable event the Michigan coaching staff holds. There is no camp involved; it's simply a BBQ and a fun event for prospects and their families to get to know the coaching staff.

The event has no pressure to compete and gives one-on-one time for the parents and coaches to interact. It also gives the prospects time to interact with committed players and find out why they chose Michigan. It's an easy way for the Wolverines to accelerate how comfortable a prospect feels about their program.

For the full story, check out WolverineNation .

Ohio State: The U word

By Scott Kendrick, BuckeyeNation

COLUMBUS, Ohio --Say the words "unofficial visit" to Ohio State coach Urban Meyer and you might be in for a long conversation on what is wrong with the recruiting process.

Meyer isn't against them per se, as he's picked up his fair share of commitments from unofficial visits. He just doesn't like the dent they put in the wallets of families with prospective athletes.

Athletes have to pay for unofficial visits themselves as the NCAA allows only five official visits -- paid for by the institution -- during the athlete's senior year.

"It is one of the problems I have now with collegiate athletics," Meyer told WolverineNation's Michael Rothstein when he was at The Sound Mind Sound Body Academy camp in Detroit in June. "It's almost anti-student-athlete where they have to come to us for camp. How many kids can afford to fly or drive that far? This is so unusual. I can't believe we're allowed to do this [the camp]."

For the full story, check out BuckeyeNation .

Oklahoma: Why fight it?

By Bob Pryzbylo, SoonerNation

NORMAN, Okla. -- The Oklahoma coaches know football recruiting has changed. It's no longer seasonal; it's a 365-day per year process. They know it, and they're not fighting it. Because if they did, they would be left behind, especially as it pertains to unofficial visits.

It's still common to rack up commitments on official visits during the fall, but the unofficial visit is threatening to replace that. OU has been getting commitments on unofficial visits, and the official visit is now more about solidifying those commitments.

"Unofficial visits are everything now," said OU offensive coordinator Josh Heupel. "You look at all the kids committed before their senior year. They're doing everything on their own. Recruiting has become year-round. Kids are committed before September."

For the full story, check out SoonerNation .

Oregon: Proof is in the visit

EUGENE, Ore. -- For a school like Oregon, it is often either a deal-maker or a deal-breaker.

If a prospect visits Oregon from across the country on his own dime, it usually means the interest is more than sincere. In recent years, that interest has turned into a commitment quite a few times.

In 2010, the Ducks signed three prospects from across the country, due in large part to their ability to visit the campus over the summer.

Dior Mathis from Michigan, James Scales from North Carolina and Issac Dixon from Florida each made it out to Oregon before their senior seasons had begun. All three followed up with official visits and eventually signed with the Ducks.

For the full story, check out DuckNation .

Texas: Tales from the road

AUSTIN, Texas. -- Jake Raulerson and Durham Smythe had it easy. Or it least that's how it looked.

Texas offered early. Both committed early. Their recruitment ended, and they haven't looked back.

But reaching that decision came with its costs.

They are both in-state recruits who don't live far from Austin, but both recruits' families learned that playing the recruiting game isn't cheap.

For the full story, check out HornsNation .

Washington: Get 'em on campus

SEATTLE -- For Washington's coaching staff, a pivotal part of the recruiting plan is getting kids on campus.

The Huskies are selling something that requires personal attention, a connection that is formed through face-to-face meetings.

Talk to head coach Steve Sarkisian, recruiting ace Tosh Lupoi and recruiting coordinator Johnny Nansen and they will all say the same thing.

"If we get the parents and the recruit here, we have a really good shot at winning the kid," Nansen said.

For the full story, check out HuskyNation .

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Hopewell Football

Hopewell 8th grader james armstrong makes unofficial visit to penn state.

It’s not a matter of if but when Power Four college football programs will begin to recruit Hopewell’s James Armstrong.

That’s a lofty statement considering he’s just in 8th grade but if you’ve seen him play, his skill level is fairly obvious.

Honestly, it’s a bit surprising that Armstrong is still waiting for that first D1 offer.

Despite waiting for that first offer, Armstrong was able to achieve something big today as he went on his first unofficial college visit.

James received an invite from Penn state assistant coach Terry Smith to travel to State College and attend a Penn State spring practice. From what we’re hearing, the Penn State staff is impressed with Armstrong and we’d expect this early interest to continue into the future.

The practice begins this afternoon so HSN will talk to Armstrong afterwards and find out what went on today and get his reaction to this big day.

These are my best throws from the 2023 season | Class of 2028| 6’2| 200lbs| 3.3 gpa| @CoachVollono @CoachTerryPSU @coachjfranklin @BrennanMarion4 @AdamCalt @BallCoachJoeMo @CoachDuzzPittFB @Coach_Noll @Coach_BNeal @WPIAL_Insider @247recruiting @AlPopsFootball pic.twitter.com/uMc5SOxCrH — James “Booboo” Armstrong (@Armstrong_Qb) April 1, 2024

Hopewell’s James Armstrong Recaps Visit to Penn State

Hopewell 2028 3-Sport Standout James Armstrong Receives National Recognition

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2023 penn state football snapshot profile: no. 43 tyler elsdon, share this article.

Going into the 2023 football season, Nittany Lions Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Penn State roster. Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for  James Franklin this season.

Next up is a player who started every game for Penn State in 2022 but looks to be competing to keep the starting job in 2023, linebacker Tyler Elsdon . Elsdon may end up continuing to be a starter for the Nittany Lions in the middle of the defense thanks to his experience already on the field in such a role, but he will have to hold off a rising contender for the job this fall. here is a snapshot look at Tyler Elsdon heading into the 2023 season.

Preseason Player Profile

Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Hometown: Frackville, PA

Height: 6-2

Weight: 226

247Sports Composite Ranking

[3 stars] [No. 5 in Pennsylvania] [No. 27 overall inside linebacker]

Class of 2020

Class in 2023: Junior

Right from the start of his recruiting process, Penn State appeared to be the school to beat for Elsdon’s commitment. Penn State hosted Elsdon for an unofficial visit back in April 2019, after he had received offers from a pair of ACC programs in Syracuse and Louisville. Virginia was next in line to extend an offer but Penn State remained the easy frontrunner. Elsdon attended a pair of football camps at Penn State in the summer of 2019, and after that, he finally received his official offer from the Nittany Lions.

Just three days after receiving his Penn State offer in June 2019, Elsdon committed and was locked into Penn State for the long haul with multiple official and unofficial visits still to come before officially signing his letter of intent in the early signing period for the Class of 2020 in December 2019. Elsdon enrolled early in January 2020 to get started with the program as early as he could.

Career Stats

Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Tyler Elsdon appeared in just one game during the COVID-19-adjusted 2020 season, but he got on the field for 12 games during the 2021 season on defense and special teams. He closed out his first full season with the team with six tackles in Penn State’s Outback Bowl appearance against Arkansas.

Elsdon rose to a more prominent role in 2022 by making starts in all 13 games played by Penn State, including the Rose Bowl against Utah. Elsdon had a career-high 44 tackles, with 25 solo tackles. Despite starting every game for Penn State in 2022, his job as a starter is not a guarantee heading into the 2023 season.

Depth Chart Overview

Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

Penn State will return Abdul Carter and Curtis Jacobs as starters on the outside of the linebacker positions this fall, leaving the middle linebacker job still to be determined. Tyler Elsdon is one of the top two candidates for the job this fall. Elsdon appears to have a slight edge over Kobe King for the starting job in the middle of the defense. Elsdon’s experience is what gives him the biggest advantage over King, although both appear to be on a pretty even playing field coming out of the spring and the Blue-White Game.

The competition is in the spotlight between Elsdon and King, but expect both to have moments to contribute this fall no matter which of the two ends up as the starter.

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Pa’s top recruit for 2023, rodney gallagher, plans unofficial visit to psu.

Two-sport star Rodney Gallagher, who has offers in both football and basketball from the Nittany Lions, announced today that he will take an unofficial visit to Penn State on June 24. Gallagher is the No. 1 football recruit in Pennsylvania for the class of 2023, according to 247Sports.

I will be taking a unofficial visit to Penn State on June 24th🦁🦁🔵⚪️ @PennStateFball — Rodney Gallagher 3rd (LLC💞) (@RodneyG_3rd) May 30, 2021

Gallagher is a 6-foot, 160-pound athlete from Laurel Highlands High School in Uniontown. The 4-star prospect has offers from Pitt, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Michigan and West Virginia, among others, for football.

In basketball, Gallagher is a 5-star point guard who has offers from Illinois, Florida, West Virginia and Pitt, among others.

RELATED: Check out our Q&A and video interview with Gallagher from October

From the story above, Gallagher talked to Nittany Sports Now about playing both football and basketball in college.

“I definitely talked to Penn State and Pitt about it already,” Gallagher said. “They definitely want me to try it out. They know it’s gonna be hard, and I also know it’s gonna be hard. All of them do the summer workouts and those type of stuff and worry about the grades. But I think it’s something I want to try out, and they said they’ll always be there for me if one of the sports doesn’t work out.”

We also asked Gallagher which sport he has the most fun playing right now. Here’s what he said:

“I’m not gonna lie, I think it’s football. Football you have so much fun, you’re playing under the lights, you’re playing in front of a lot of people. … Being under the lights and all the hype, it’s very fun with all the people outside.

“Basketball, I think is more serious and you have to do it every second. Being in one gym, it’s very clogged up, and it’s just the decision making.”

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Avid penn state fan gets visit from idol.

Photo courtesy of GEISINGER LEWISTOWN HOSPITAL Penn State football player Keaton Ellis (left) poses for a selfie with Paul ‘Mike’ Pennebaker, of Lewistown.

LEWISTOWN — To his dying breath, Paul “Mike” Pennebaker has bled Nittany Lion blue through and through.

“We’ve always been Penn State fans,” said his wife, Della, of the Lewistown couple’s allegiance with the Nittany Lions.

“We grew up in central Pennsylvania, right down the mountain,” she added. “So, we had to root for Penn State.”

Even when the chips were down, Paul — whose nickname is “Mike” — remained loyal, showing his true pride. When the tables were turned for the Pennebakers, one Nittany Lion player was able to give a dying man one last thrill — just like a Penn State victory on the football field.

With Mike losing his bout with a chronic illness about to go home for hospice, the staff at Geisinger-Lewistown Hospital arranged for Penn State defensive back Keaton Ellis to pay Paul a special bedside visit.

“He loved it,” Della said of the 30-minute visit between the two. “At first, he didn’t know what was going on, but when he did, he was very pleased.”

Amy Davis, a Registered Nurse and case manager at Geisinger Lewistown Hospital, happens to be a neighbor of the Pennebakers and has experienced Paul’s devotion to the Nittany Lions first-hand.

“We always knew when Penn State scored because Paul would open his front door and shout at the top of his lungs,” she joked.

The visit by Ellis certainly lifted Paul’s spirits “a lot,” Della said. “(Talked) just about Penn State football.

“Keaton held his hand for a while,” she added. “He was a very caring, down to earth, nice young man.”

The Nittany Lion star sat on the edge of the bed and spoke to Paul, who sported a Penn State ball cap.

The Pennebakers were thankful for the compassion that the hospital staff and Ellis showed to Paul, who is suffering and nearing the end of his life.

“Knowing that Paul is the biggest Penn State football fan, we really wanted to do something special for him — something to celebrate his life,” said Keith Peachey, nursing operations manager, AAC3, Geisinger-Lewistown Hospital.

Soft spoken and kind, Ellis was born and raised in the State College area and is a 2023 graduate of Penn State University. He was a member of the football team for five years and served as a team captain.

Ellis competed in the NFL Combine recently and the Pennebakers were excited to see where he landed in the recent NFL Draft. Unfortunately, Ellis wasn’t drafted but still signed as a free agent with the Tennessee Titans.

Mike tried to watch the three-day draft to see if Ellis’ name was called. “He tried,” Della said. “He fell asleep a lot.”

“It’s a true honor to meet fans and great people like Paul and his wife Della,” Keaton said. “Talking with Paul was really meaningful and very much worth my time,” Keaton said. “I told him I’d be praying and thinking of him. It makes me proud to learn about the lives of our true fans and be part of their lives.”

Ellis gave Paul an autograph, writing “We Are” and signing his name. It is something that Paul will certainly cherish in his waning days.

“It was very nice of them putting their heads together,” Della said of the staff organizing the visit. “It was a really good thing to do for another human being.”

An act of kindness that proved to be incredibly special to Paul and his family.

“These exemplary actions of the AAC3 team show how they went above and beyond for our patient’s experience,” said Stacey Osborne, vice president and chief nursing officer. “What a wonderful way to celebrate Paul’s life and love of Penn State football with this surprise visit.”

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Penn State OL target Ziyare Addison locks in official visit

One of Penn State's top offensive line targets in the 2025 recruiting cycle, Sumner (FL) offensive tackle Ziyare Addison has set an official visit to Penn State. The Riverview, Florida native will be on campus June 14 through the 16 for his official visit to Happy Valley.

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"The hospitality that was shown to me and my family was amazing," Addison told Happy Valley Insider in January when he took an unofficial visit to campus. "We are all really enjoying the trip," he added. Addison also made a return visit to Penn State in late March to take in a spring practice.

Other official visits that Addison has scheduled includes to Florida on May 31, Oregon on June 7, and Florida State on June 21.

Addison has garnered over 40 scholarship offers in his recruitment including Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and USC among others

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A Penn State football transfer portal shakeup: What's next for Lions after departures?

Penn State football's 2024 roster was all but guaranteed to shift and re-shape this spring.

There simply wasn't enough scholarship spots − and open depth chart positions − leading up to the 2024 season. That's become the natural cycle of big-time college football, especially in the age of the NCAA transfer portal.

And, sure enough, seven scholarship players have announced their intentions to leave coach James Franklin's team this spring, including four this week − receiver Malik McClain, safety King Mack , running back London Montgomery and offensive lineman Golden Israel-Achumba. The moves were reported as this second transfer portal session closed.

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So what do the losses mean to Penn State?

Here's a breakdown of who's leaving (The Lions have not added any transfers this spring) and how it may affect the program's status in the expanded Big Ten and College Football Playoff:

Wide receiver: KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Malick Meiga, Malik McClain, Carmelo Taylor

This room needed a space-clearing shakeup. There was no way the roster could hold the 15 wideouts who began spring workouts.

The Lions did lose their leading returning receiver, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, the other defections (Malick Meiga, Malik McClain and Carmelo Taylor) were fringe pieces and somewhat expected.

Even Lambert-Smith, who was Penn State's No. 1 target for much of 2023, proved wildly inconsistent in production and on-field body language last season before all but disappearing down the stretch. He announced his departure and commitment to Auburn a couple of months after the Lions added Ohio State transfer Julian Fleming.

And despite their promise and experience, Meiga (special teams captain), Taylor and McClain, combined for less than 10 catches last season. They seemed buried toward the bottom of a wideout group in need of serious improvement.

The Lions' revamped look there now: Fleming and junior Tre Wallace should be early starters with Kaden Saunders, Omari Evans and Liam Clifford showing spring promise for increased production.

Safety: King Mack

Mack's transfer portal loss may be the biggest of the spring.

The second-year safety from Florida owned elite talent and speed (four-star recruit), including impressive hitting and ball-tracking skills, according to teammates. He was a special teams coverage standout last fall and offered kick and punt return possibilities.

Still, it probably would have been difficult for Mack to earn significant playing time this fall. Penn State's safety group is loaded with more experienced, proven commodities, including Big Ten expected stars Jaylen Reed and KJ Winston and top reserve Zakee Wheatley.

Sophomore DaKaari Nelson, boasting the best size in the room (6-foot-3, 220 pounds) also will be pushing for backup reps.

This position group should be one of the nation's best even without Mack, who may be looking at a new destination in the Deep South , closer to home.

Running back: London Montgomery

The former Scranton Prep standout has been working from behind, so to speak, ever since arriving at Penn State.

Montgomery did return to playing form this spring after recovering from a serious knee injury − and did show off some talent glimpses in April's Blue-White Game. But how high could he possibly be on Penn State's running back pecking order?

Like Mack, Montgomery seemed the fourth playing option, at best, in 2024 − behind starters Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen and and surging sophomore Cam Wallace and impressive rookie Quinton Martin.

Montgomery still needs to build his body and physicality , according to repeated comments from Franklin.

Linemen: Davon Townsley, Golden Israel-Achumba

Davon Townsley, a defensive tackle, entered the transfer portal for the second time in his Penn State career. He figured to be a deep backup piece on the line this coming season.

Israel-Achumba was even further off the game-day radar before his transfer intentions were reported. The senior's only playing time last season came with a handful of snaps against Massachusetts. He was not slated to make the Lions' two-deep depth chart this fall.

Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at  [email protected] and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: A Penn State football transfer portal shakeup: What's next for Lions after departures?

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Penn state transfer db king mack expected to visit alabama this weekend, share this article.

The Alabama Crimson Tide are hosting multiple transfers for official visits this weekend. One of which includes Penn State Nittany Lions transfer safety King Mack.

Mack spent one season in Happy Valley. The native of Miami, Florida tallied three tackles for the Nittany Lions. He did appear in all 13 games, however. Coming out of high school, Mack was regarded as a consensus four-star prospect as well as a top-100 prospect.

Football runs in Mack’s family. His uncle, Keith Ferguson played football at Ohio State from 1977-1980. He is also a relative of Tremain Mack who played at Miami (FL) from 1993-1996.

Mack would help add depth and talent to Alabama’s safety room. The Crimson Tide currently have six safeties on the roster with two leaving this week in freshman Peyton Woodyard and sophomore Tony Mitchell. The addition of Mack could be very impactful in the near and distant future.

The current plan is for Penn State safety transfer King Mack to visit Alabama this weekend, a source tells @247sports . Mack was a Class of 2023 top-90 overall recruit. https://t.co/dlK1RuGvSZ pic.twitter.com/Biti2RAU0R — Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) May 2, 2024

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow the latest regarding the Alabama football program and its involvement in the transfer portal.

Follow all your favorite Alabama teams at Roll Tide Wire and Auburn Wire!

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Penn State football battling Florida for rising 2025 recruiting class defender

The official visit slate for the Penn State football team is lengthy. This makes this summer extra important for the Nittany Lions and the push for securing the top talent in the 2025 recruiting class. Penn State currently holds 12 hard commits in the 2025 cycle and is looking to add more. Now, the Blue and White are battling Florida and other schools for defensive lineman Jarquez Carter. A prospect that has just announced his official visit date with the Nittany Lions.

Penn State football battling Florida for rising 2025 defender

Jarquez Carter is from Newberry, FL where he attends Newberry High School. The 6-2 270-pound defensive lineman is a rising prospect in the 2025 recruiting class. Carter is a four-star prospect according to the On3 Industry Ranking . He ranks as the No. 33 defensive lineman in the cycle.

Being a Florida native has driven the Florida schools to be in pursuit of this prospect. On3 lists the Florida Gators with the high odds of landing Carter. They also have UCF, Florida State, and Miami in the conversation as well. Carter has taken the most visits to Florida during his recruiting process. He’s been to Gainsville 12 times with an official visit coming at the end of May.

However, this battle is not over for Tom Allen and Deion Barnes. The Penn State football team has made a late push for Carter. he has made one lone trip to Happy Valley on March 19th. Now, Carter has announced that he will return to State College on June 7th through June 9th for his official visit with Penn State.

#WeAre @DBarnes_18 @coachjfranklin @CoachAllenPSU pic.twitter.com/3LzHaRZ6iu — Jarquez Carter (@JarquezCarter) May 3, 2024

Reviewing the 2025 recruiting class for Penn State

Penn State continues to build the 2025 recruiting class. It has been a slow process, and the Nittany Lions have been selective, but with the numerous official visits slated for this summer, one would imagine the class will grow significantly over the next few months.

At this time, Penn State does not have a defensive line commitment in the 2025 cycle. That’s where Jarquez Carter and his impact can be felt for the Nittany Lions. The latest commitment came from running back Alvin Henderson in early April. 3 of the 12 commits for Penn State are running backs in the 2025 recruiting class that ranks 9th in the country according to 247Sports.

This article first appeared on Basic Blues Nation and was syndicated with permission.

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Ranking Big Ten Conference's Best Running Backs: Ohio State Buckeyes or Oregon Ducks?

Which Big Ten Conference team has the best backfield entering the 2024 college football season? Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State are loaded with talented running backs.

• Author: Linden Hile

In this story:

The Big Ten Conference is loaded with excellent running backs with a chance to electrify in the 2024 football season. Talent in this conference includes a dynamic duo, new faces and breakout stars. Ranking the top-three running back rooms:

1. Ohio State Buckeyes

It’s no secret that Ohio State does a great job bringing in some of the best talent in the nation and the running back position is no exception. Heading into 2024, the Buckeyes have arguably the best two-headed running back monster in college football with senior TreVeyon Henderson and Ole Miss transfer Quinshon Judkins.

Henderson has had some difficulty staying on the field over the course of his career but he’s absolutely not lacking talent. In his lone healthy season as a freshman in 2021, Henderson racked up 1,248 rushing yards on a remarkable 6.8 yards per carry. 

Ohio State TreVeyon Henderson, Oregon Ducks Jordan James

Quinshon Judkins is the flashy new piece in the backfield as he brings his talents over from Ole Miss where he averaged 1,363 rushing yards on almost exactly five yards per carry in two seasons for the Rebels. More of a power runner, Judkins brings the thunder to Henderson’s lightning and rounds out what should be widely considered the best running back group in the Big Ten, if not the country.

2. Oregon Ducks

Depth is the name of the game for Oregon’s running back group this season. Spearheaded by junior Jordan James, the backfield features several different types of runners.

James is the most explosive of the group, averaging an astounding 7.1 yards per carry for the Ducks in 2023. Behind him is powerhouse senior Noah Whittington who comes into 2024 off a leg injury that cost him most of last season after starting red-hot with 7.3 yards per carry through Oregon’s first four games.

Behind these two is Jay Harris, a Division Two transfer from Northwest Missouri State who has garnered rave reviews from coaches and media alike in his first spring in Eugene.

3. Penn State Nittany Lions

Some would be tempted to place Michigan’s backfield in the No. 3spot but that mostly factors in last season. After the Wolverines lost star Blake Corum to the NFL Draft, Penn State returns the next-most impressive group in the realigned Big Ten with Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen.

Singleton and Allen split carries last season for the Nittany Lions and both will be back after impressive 2023 seasons. Allen accrued 902 rushing yards in 13 games last year while Singleton contributed 752 of his own. With another year to develop, these two figure to headline one of the fiercest backfields in the Big Ten.

The Big Ten is known for its physical play and although there are other good backfields in the conference, these three should be among the most dangerous heading into 2024 .

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Former Penn State, Pittsburgh quarterback visits Syracuse football

• Updated: May. 01, 2024, 11:01 p.m. |
• Published: May. 01, 2024, 8:54 a.m.

Pittsburgh quarterback Christian Veilleux (11) looks to throw a pass during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Florida State in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Freed) AP

• Brent Axe | [email protected]

Syracuse, N.Y. —Syracuse football hosted Pittsburgh quarterback Christian Veilleux for an official visit last weekend.

Veilleux started five games for Pitt last season, including Syracuse’s 28-13 win over the Panthers at Yankee Stadium last season. Veilleux completed 51.1% of his passes last season, throwing for 1,179 yards, seven touchdowns and eight interceptions.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by PRIME Steakhouse (@primesteakhouseny)

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