Penn State football made good progress with recruiting five-star quarterback Will Mencl, eventually making the Class of 2027 prospect's final three list heading into his commitment date.
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Late on Wednesday, April 22, Mencl ripped off the bandaid and left the Nittany Lions behind.
Hayes Fawcett of On3/Rivals announced Mencl's decision via Twitter/X, and the top school throughout his recruitment reigned supreme. The top quarterback recruit of the class committed to Oregon.
BREAKING: Five-Star QB Will Mencl has Committed to Oregon, he tells me for @Rivals⁰⁰The 6’4 210 QB from Chandler, AZ chose the Ducks over Auburn and Penn State
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) April 22, 2026
He’s ranked as the No. 1 QB in the 2027 Rivals300 🦆https://t.co/IMziS7hXGP pic.twitter.com/ObNd3HNjYC
Five-star quarterback Will Mencl commits to Oregon over Penn State and Auburn
Mencl is the No. 76 recruit nationally from his class and ranked sixth among quarterbacks and first among athletes from Arizona, per 247Sports Composite rankings. Rivals Industry Ranking has Mencl listed at No. 49 nationally, No. 3 at his position, and No. 1 from his state.
Despite the Chandler, Ariz. native having ties with head coach Matt Campbell's coaching staff, his relationships built with the Ducks were stronger.
Specifically, he told Rivals that Oregon head coach Dan Lanning and quarterbacks coach Koa Ka'ai were major factors in his decision when comparing his bonds with other coaching staffs. Mencl also pointed to the culture in Eugene, Ore. and that a program rooted in greatness is something he valued when committing.
Though still unfortunate news for the Nittany Lions, the Ducks were always a frontrunner in this recruitment race.
Due to Mencl's commitment, Oregon soared up the recruitment rankings, taking Penn State's No. 6 spot. The Nittany Lions fell down to No. 8 after whiffing on Mencl.
The blue and white are currently quarterback-less in their Class of 2027 with only three recruits on the offensive side of the ball committed: four-star wide receiver Landon Blum, four-star tight end Cooper Terwilliger, and three-star interior offensive lineman Owen Reilly.
Campbell and quarterbacks coach Jake Waters have two top prospects left on their board at that position. The Nittany Lions are recruiting four-star Peter Bourque and three-star William Wood. Bourque, in specific, is a major target for Penn State. The Massachusetts native de-committed from Michigan, giving the Nittany Lions a second shot at recruiting him.
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