Penn State football received good news on Friday, Feb. 27 as four-star wide receiver Khalil Taylor announced his top six schools and had the Nittany Lions in the mix. On Saturday, safety Gabe Jenkins only added to the positivity and hope for head coach Matt Campbell's Class of 2027.
Penn State has hope for its future wide receiver room following latest 4-star update
As reported by On3's Hayes Fawcett, Jenkins' top seven schools were announced. Penn State was one of them alongside Colorado, Michigan, USC, Virginia Tech, UCLA, and Pittsburgh.
🚨NEWS🚨 4-star safety Gabe Jenkins is down to 7️⃣ schools, he tells Rivals.
— Rivals (@Rivals) February 28, 2026
Jenkins decommitted from Penn State in October. https://t.co/BpEVHm8Kca pic.twitter.com/gMjutI9O9J
Four-star safety Gabe Jenkins includes Penn State in top seven schools
Jenkins is the No. 229 recruit from the class, No. 22 safety, and No. 7 prospect out of Pennsylvania, according to 247Sports Composite rankings. The four-star defensive back previously de-committed from the Nittany Lions' program when Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin was fired back in October 2025. It didn't even take 30 minutes for Jenkins to announce his de-commitment.
However, with Campbell, defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn, and safeties coach Deon Broomfield in Happy Valley, Penn State has another chance. Jenkins attended the Nittany Lions' Junior Day on Jan. 24 and they are currently his only official visit scheduled for the spring/summer session. He's slated to visit campus on June 5.
While things are leaning in Penn State's favor, the blue and white must still overcome Big Ten rivals, in-state rivals, and Franklin. The Wolverines, Trojans, and Bruins are all in the conversation to land the young safety as well as the Panthers. Jenkins is a Pittsburgh, Penn. native, meaning the Nittany Lions aren't the only ones with an in-state advantage.
Jenkins also has a pre-installed connection with Franklin, who initially recruited him when Franklin was at Penn State. This battle was known once he took the job with the Hokies. Virginia Tech was going to be an agitating opponent for former Nittany Lion commits, but Penn State is holding up quite well.
According to his stats logged on MaxPreps, Jenkins logged 24 tackles, three tackles for loss, and one fumble recovery in 2025 as a junior.