2 of Penn State’s early 2028 DL priorities are becoming clear after Under Armour Baltimore

Matt Campbell got off to an exceptionally hot start in the 2027 recruiting cycle, shooting to the top of the national rankings with one of the biggest classes in the country. As other programs have caught up to Penn State’s 20 commits, the group sits 16th in Rivals' rankings. 

While the 2027 cycle is far from over, Penn State is preparing for its biggest official visit weekend of the off-season. To get off to a fast start next year, Campbell and general manager Derek Hoodjer have to keep some of their attention on the 2028 class. At least a portion of that focus appears to be on two Maryland defensive linemen: five-star Tyzon Swann and four-star Nikolas Stevens. 

Tyler Calvaruso of Lions247 was in Baltimore for the UA Next camp over the weekend and caught glimpses of both players. Calvaruso reported that Swann will visit Penn State next month “possibly twice,” and that Penn State is “standing out” for Stevens. 

Matt Campbell should push to make Tyzon Swann his first 5-star commit

The summer camp season is a time of great reshuffling in the recruiting industry, so the rankings are far from settled. But it’s clear that both Swann and Stevens are going to be blue-chip prospects, and both are situated in a Penn State recruiting hotbed, so it only makes sense they’d be near the top of Campbell and Hoodjer’s board. 

Swann, however, is on a different tier. The 6-foot-4, 245-pound defensive lineman is currently the No. 8 player in the country by Rivals Industry and the No. 2 defensive lineman. He can play up and down the defensive line. At the next level, he could use his length and speed to dominate off the edge or add weight and slide to the inside as a penetrating defensive tackle. Either way, he projects as an impact player early in his career and the type of recruit Campbell never sniffed at Iowa State. 

The 2027 class featured two elite in-state five-stars: RB Kemon Spell and OT Maxwell Hiller. Campbell let both out of the state to leave for the SEC, and it appears that four-star EDGE Abraham Sesay is either heading to Notre Dame or LSU. In Pennsylvania, the 2028 class, at least right now, doesn’t have that same caliber of elite recruit, aside from Marvin Harrison Jr.’s younger brother, Jett, who will be tough to land. 

So, Campbell should focus on Swann as his top priority. James Franklin always dominated recruiting in Maryland, and while it’s not the most talent-rich state in the country, it’s an important pipeline for the program. 

Nik Stevens is the type of fast-riser Campbell should do well with

Steven doesn’t have the long-standing blue-chip pedigree like Swann. He’s still unranked by 247Sports, and he’s clearly on the rise. An interior defensive lineman at 6-foot-2, 280 pounds, he would need to add some weight to fit defensive line coach Ikaika Malloe’s preferred physical profile, but he has plenty of time and an ideal frame to do it. 

As a fast-riser in the class, he’s the type of recruit with a major upward trajectory that a developmentally-minded program like the ones Campbell has always run should covet. 

There’s still a long way to go in the 2027 cycle, let alone 2028, but it’s a good sign that Campbell has Penn State on the radar of two elite recruits in an important area for Penn State to control.

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