Matt Campbell has done a lot of good things in his short time as the head coach of the Penn State football program, including getting the team off to a 3-0 start and climbing to No. 13 in the country. However, he’s yet to establish much of a recruiting presence in Pennsylvania, and if he fails to make inroads, he’ll have a tough time sustaining success in Happy Valley.
In 2027, Campbell has just one top-20 in-state commit, defensive lineman Stanley Montgomery. In 2028, however, he already has two in four-star quarterback James Armstrong and four-star defensive back Deonte Flemings Jr. That’s a great start, but Campbell and his staff need more. Week 4 is shaping up as a critical in-state recruiting showcase for the program and a chance to build momentum.
As Penn State hosts Wisconsin on Saturday for its homecoming game, the staff will also be hosting a massive visitors list that includes over 60 prospects now confirmed. Topping that list, along with a return trip from Armstrong, is in-state four-star edge rusher George Parkinson IV, who looms as a recruiting litmus test for this program.
George Parkinson IV’s recruitment is a proving ground for the new Penn State staff
Whether here or elsewhere, by now you’ve probably heard someone pontificate about how Campbell, general manager Derek Hoodjer, and their Iowa State operation were predicated on finding hidden gems, not winning high-profile recruiting battles. They built a developmental program, and that’s seemingly at the heart of what they’re trying to build in Happy Valley.
However, everyone has to keep talking about that as a potential pitfall of this hire because, while that approach and this staff have proven to be successful in the Big 12, you need to recruit at a higher level to reach the much loftier expectations at Penn State. The increase in resources from Ames will help close that gap, but regardless, Campbell needs to prove he can win big-time recruiting battles, especially in-state.
In his defense, he didn’t have time to build those relationships with the 2027 class, and now that he does in 2028, he is seemingly making quite a bit of headway. But with the No. 1 recruit in PA, Jett Harrison, locked in with Ohio State, Parkinson’s recruitment will loom large with the fanbase, and probably with future in-state recruits. Land him, and you answer the big questions about blue-chip recruiting and probably get the rest of the state to start buying in. Lose, and the volume of those questions cranks way up.
The 6-foot-4, 240-pound edge from Malvern Prep is the No. 88 overall recruit in the country by 247Sports Composite and has received interest from LSU, Ohio State, Oregon, and Tennessee. This is a legit national recruitment, and while Parkinson has been to campus before, it’s hard to imagine the outcome on Saturday not impacting Penn State’s standing.
James Armstrong may be Penn State’s most effective recruiter on Saturday
For the time being, Parkinson is ranked slightly higher than Armstrong, who jumped into the Rivals top 100 this week, but the quarterback is always going to be the centerpiece of the class. Armstrong appears to relish that responsibility, and with so many players heading to campus for the game, he could be the most important recruiter.
The visitor list includes 2027, 2028, and 2029 recruits, but the focus will be on building around Armstrong in 2028, and as he rises up the rankings, the allure of playing with him will continue to grow. Campbell never landed a top-100 QB at Iowa State, so he’s already starting to level up his operation. Does that have a compounding effect, or is it an anomaly? Ultimately, the answer to that question will determine how successful he is in Happy Valley.
Add us as a preferred source on Google