Matt Campbell hasn’t had a ton of recruiting misses since he got to Happy Valley. Not known as an elite recruiter from his 10-year run at Iowa State, the first-year head coach of the Nittany Lions has 18 commits in the 2027 class ahead of official visit season, and that class ranks No. 6 in the country.Â
However, one of Campbell’s biggest losses came on Monday as former James Franklin commit Layton Von Brandt committed to Auburn. The four-star offensive tackle from Delaware choosing Auburn over Notre Dame lessened the blow slightly, as Marcus Freeman has become a real thorn in Penn State’s side on the recruiting trail, but the announcement still leaves the Nittany Lions without a four-star offensive lineman in Campbell’s first full class.Â
Campbell leaned on retention and the Transfer Portal to restock an offensive line room that lost four starters from last season and saw six players leave through the portal this offseason. Still, the foundation of the next elite group in Happy Valley will need to come through high school, and that means quickly pivoting off Von Brandt, which the staff likely did ahead of his commitment anyway.Â
The question, though, is where do they pivot their attention? Well, two players are already scheduled for trips to Happy Valley in June, who could complete Campbell and general manager Derek Hoodjer’s O-line additions in this cycle.Â
Over the weekend, the three-star offensive tackle from Orange Lutheran High School in Southern California locked in an official visit to Happy Valley for June 12. He appears to be the priority at offensive tackle with Von Brandt off the board, and while Oregon, Texas, and UCLA are all in the mix and are all spending top dollar on the 2027 class, the Nittany Lions appear to be in a good position.Â
Shades of Vega Ioane, Rhoa has a play on tape where he’s split out in the slot and motions across the formation to crack the backside edge. The play ultimately ended in a sack, but Rhoa showcased a real comfort in space and displayed impressive power, flattening the defender. He’s shown versatility, also playing on the interior of the offensive line, and that makes sense because he’s a violent run blocker who fights through the echo of the whistle.Â
Rhoa may not have the polish as a pass-blocker to project as a left tackle at the next level, but with five-star Malachi Goodman entering his true freshman season, expecting to compete for the starting job, he won’t have to, at least not early on. He’s the 50th-ranked offensive tackle and 585th overall player according to 247Sports Composite.Â
Like Rhoa, Kyler Kuhn is comfortable in space. More of a smooth mover than the explosive violence of Rhoa, the 6-foot-3, 280-pound offensive guard ranks 211th overall in the class and 11th among interior offensive linemen. Because he’s not a tackle, the Kansas City native isn’t an obvious Von Brandt pivot, but he’s a priority target for the Nittany Lions, and one of the few remaining along the offensive line.Â
Kuhn’s best skill is his ability to pull and his accuracy in the second level. He doesn’t just avoid whiffing, Kuhn lines up linebackers and gives his running back a clear lane. That’s a valuable skill, with Campbell and offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser’s preference for big-bodied between the tackles runners.Â
Kuhn is almost certainly going to kick inside, but even at a slightly less valuable position compared to tackle, he’d be far and away the highest-ranked offensive tackle in Penn State’s 2027 class.
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