Penn State football added four-star quarterback James Armstrong to its 2028 class on Thursday.
The Hopewell High School passer was already leaning towards the Nittany Lions prior to his announcement. Following the commitment, he took to social media to emphasize exactly what head coach Matt Campbell's vision for these upcoming recruitment cycles is: the "Best in PA stay in PA."
Armstrong is also doing some behind-the-scenes work already as well. He told Ryan Snyder of On3 that he has been in touch with fellow 2028 recruits from Pennsylvania who he thinks would fit the blue and white perfectly. This kind of initiative is exactly what Campbell wants out of his team — current and future rosters alike.
"I feel like the quarterback has got to have the leadership ability, the toughness and the grit to control the locker room," Campbell said, according to Penn State Nittany Lions on SI. "I think you’re always looking for the right intangibles that way. Everybody likes fast, everybody likes arm strength, but those things don’t win. What wins is grit, toughness, character and the ability to lead others around. The locker room always know who the quarterback should be."
There's no better way for a recruit to embody leadership than rallying his own troops. Armstrong has reached out to four-star athlete Jaden Jones and four-star offensive tackle Carter Barrett. He also shared he plans on connecting with four-star wide receiver Brandon Murphy. All three prospects are Pennsylvania natives.
This isn't the only quality Armstrong possesses, of course. Per Mark Wogenrich, the 2028 quarterback also has the physical traits Campbell and general manager Derek Hoodjer look for under center, such as size, length, accuracy, and mobility.
None of this comes as a surprise. Before his commitment, Campbell told Armstrong that he plans on him leading the Nittany Lions in the future.
How soon that comes into fruition is yet to be known considering Campbell still has Iowa State transfer Alex Manske and true freshman Peyton Falzone eligible to return after the 2026 and 2027 seasons as well as 2027 commit Will Wood joining the squad after next year. However, the leadership Armstrong already possesses helps him stand out.
The dedication to staying in-state and promoting that to his peers is notable. If he's already making an impact — even attempting to at this stage — it will certainly carry over into how he is in the locker room and in the quarterback room in the future, whether he gets a chance to take the field as a true freshman or not.
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