The DMV area has long been a critical recruiting ground for the Penn State football program, and that sets up Maryland as one of its primary combatants on the recruiting trail. In most cases, Penn State has won more of those battles than it has lost, but as first-year head coach Matt Campbell looks to rebuild the roster in Happy Valley, he may want to take a look at the 2027 class Mike Locksley leaves behind after he was fired on Wednesday.
While the Terrapins haven’t exactly emerged as a serious rival to Penn State since joining the Big Ten in 2014, aside from the obvious animosity between Locksley and James Franklin, Maryland has landed some top recruits in recent years: Malik Washington and Zahir Mathis in the 2025 class, and five-star Zion Elee and four-star safety Darrell Carey in 2026.
Those are all players from Maryland, or, in Mathis’s case, PA, who, for the most part, chose to be Terrapins instead of Nittany Lions. Penn State and Maryland didn’t quite step on each other’s toes as much as usual in the 2027 class (according to the 247Sports database, Penn State has an offer out to just one Maryland commit), and Locksley’s 2027 haul doesn’t quite boast that elite talent at the top. However, the 22-player group ranks No. 35 in the country and could quickly fall apart now that he’s gone.
Penn State has a 21-player class in place that ranks No. 20 in the country, so Campbell has done well. But his current roster is probably in worse shape than he imagined when he was recruiting this summer, so as flip season kicks into full gear, the best option might be to contact current Maryland commits who could be interested in heading elsewhere as the Terps find a new head coach.
Maryland recruits who would fit in Penn State’s 2027 class
4. William Jackson, QB: 3-star - Orlando, FL
Penn State had 3-star QB Will Wood flip to Boston College on Sunday, so Jackson could slide in to take his place if Campbell and general manager Derek Hoodjer are dead-set on adding a QB in the 2027 class. Jackson would be a bit of an unconventional Campbell QB.
By no means is Jackson a run-first player, but at 6-foot-4 with a slight frame, he likes to create out of structure and can use his legs in the designed run game. Brock Purdy had those elements as well, but the dial seems to be turned up a bit more for Jackson than it was for Campbell’s most successful QB.
Penn State has not offered Jackson, who is ranked as the No. 992 overall player in the class, despite his impressive stature and loose, whip-like release that can generate significant RPMs from multiple arm slots. It would take an unorthodox late push, but it’s not inconceivable for a program that just lost its QB.
3. Jayden Agberodiola, DL: 3-star Rockvale, TN
Not from a traditional Penn State recruiting group, but a perfect fit for Penn State’s size and weight preferences, Agberodiola could be on the radar of DL coach Ikaika Malloe. Malloe completely overhauled Penn State’s defensive tackle group this offseason, bringing in as much size as possible, and the Tennessee native fits the bill at 6-foot-3, 340 pounds.
Penn State already has commitments from Stanley Montgomery and Aniti Paiva, two 300+ pounders at defensive tackle in the 2027 class, but considering how the group of transfers the Nittany Lions imported are playing this year, the roster doesn’t have any long-term pieces that can be relied upon at that position.
2. Kenaz Sullivan, S: 4-star - Springfield, VA
Sullivan is the only current Maryland commit that Penn State has offered, according to the 247Sports database. So, it would make sense that as players start to decommit from the Terrapins, he’s the focus for Campbell and his staff. He also took an unofficial visit to Happy Valley, though Tennessee and former Penn State DC Jim Knowles were closer to landing his commitment with an official visit this summer, and he’s taken a trip to Blacksburg this fall.
Still, Penn State could potentially work its way back into the mix for the hybrid defensive back who likes to play around the line of scrimmage as a box safety and a slot defender. Sullivan is the No. 285 player in the country, according to 247Sports Composite.
Penn State has done well at corner, both on the field and the recruiting trail, but it could use more talent in a safety room that has needed to move Zion Tracy back from nickel to stabilize a group that is struggling to make the transition from Iowa State’s 3-3-5 system.
Penn State has two three-star safeties in the 2027 class: Jonathan Galette and Caleb Cooper.
1. Myles McAfee, WR: 4-star - Severn, MD
Penn State has spent a lot of its in-season recruiting efforts attempting to flip in-state three-star wide receiver Chase Guers from West Virginia. However, it could turn its attention to Maryland QB Malik Washington’s former pass-catcher at Archbishop Spalding in Maryland now that Locksley is out and Washington could be on the move as well.
McAfee doesn’t have the imposing frame Penn State has been prioritizing at wide receiver, standing 6-foot-1 but weighing just 170 pounds; however, he’s a polished route runner and a crafty separator, and Penn State desperately needs another wide receiver in the class.
The Nittany Lions have four-star Landon Blum, but lost out on Khalil Taylor and DeShawn Hall this summer and had Jamir Dean flip to Georgia. So, a position group that’s been underwhelming since the loss of Koby Howard to injury in Week 3 will need a flip or a significant move in the portal to upgrade for next season.
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