Even with head coach Matt Campbell taking over Penn State football, the Nittany Lions' wide receiver room doesn't have the projected upwards trajectory the team needs.
Only time will tell how the current position room will perform and how sustainable that production will be after 2026 when redshirt senior and Iowa State transfer Chase Sowell is no longer there. In the meantime, recruiting at wide receiver is essential, but Campbell hasn't had the success he needs to stabilize that position.
From the 2027 class alone, Penn State has lost four-star wide receiver Jamir Dean to Georgia and has yet to land either (ideally both) four-stars Khalil Taylor and Deshawn Hall. The Nittany Lions were trending in the right direction for both wideouts, but Taylor rescheduled an official visit with Nebraska and expert predictions for Hall swung to Auburn recently.
Misfortune at wide receiver has also struck the 2028 class already.
Five-star Jett Harrison has 10 offers so far from top programs in the country, including Ohio State, Oregon, and Notre Dame among others. Penn State also offered Harrison, but it has already fell behind.
Ohio State leads five-star wide receiver Jett Harrison's recruitment over Penn State
The Buckeyes, per Rivals predictions, have a 98.7 percent chance to land the St. Joseph's Prep School wideout. Steve Wiltfong logged an expert prediction Wednesday morning in favor of the Nittany Lions' Big Ten foe.
Harrison is the No. 4 ranked recruit nationally and No. 2 wide receiver in the class, according to Rivals Industry Rankings. What makes matters even worse for Campbell and Co. is the fact that he is also a Pennsylvania native. Harrison is the No. 1 prospect from the state.
"Dominant wide receiver prospect with an elite combination of ball skills and route-running ability as an underclassman prospect," Charles Power's scouting summary on Harrison read. "Has a large catch radius, coming down with ridiculous catches on a regular basis. High-points and tracks the football at a high level. A polished route-runner with the ability to separate with his change of direction."
Harrison also has NFL connections. His father, former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison Sr. is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame; his older brother, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. plays for the Arizona Cardinals and was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Harrison's older brother was also a two-time, unanimous All-American wideout for the Buckeyes. He won the Biletnikoff Award as a junior in 2023 and was a Heisman Trophy finalist that season as well.
Penn State can't compete with that connection, but Harrison made it known that his older brother's collegiate path isn't influencing where he takes his.
"My brother told me not to go to Ohio State just because he went there," Harrison told Rivals. "Be yourself and go where you can see yourself. If I go to Ohio State, it won’t be because of him. This decision will be about what I feel is best for me."
Not gaining enough traction with one of the top wide receivers in the class is already bad enough when that's the exact position Penn State needs a boost at. Struggling to even make an impact on an in-state prospect's recruitment is a nightmare for Campbell, especially if Harrison is eliminating any influence from his brother's NCAA career.
Campbell hasn't done well with in-state recruits in his first recruitment cycle, whether that be by missing out on prospects when it came to decision day or not even being a top consideration. The Nittany Lions have just three Class of 2027 commits from Pennsylvania, none of who are offensive skill players.
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