Penn State football has a new Class of 2027 safety on the board.
The Nittany Lions offered three-star Caleb Cooper from Charlotte, N.C. a scholarship on Tuesday and an official visit was quickly jotted down in Cooper's calendar.
He will be in Happy Valley on June 5-7, which is the first stop on his list of official visits. Cooper is scheduled to visit Wisconsin (June 12-14) and Virginia Tech (June 19-21) after Penn State.
Excited to be taking my official visit to Penn State! #WhiteOut @Coach_Broom @CoachMC_PSU @DerekHoodjer @ChadGrier_ @ChadSimmons_ @TomLoy247 pic.twitter.com/OfMnQmKuoe
— Caleb Cooper (@CalebKingCooper) May 26, 2026
Three-star safety Caleb Cooper schedules June 5-7 official visit with Penn State immediately following offer
Despite being late to offer Cooper a scholarship, the Nittany Lions are still in his top three as of late May.
Per Rivals predictions, the Hokies with head coach James Franklin are in the lead to land his commitment with a 26.7 percent chance. The Badgers are second with an 18.9 percent chance followed by Tennessee (12.3 percent) and Penn State (10.3 percent). Cooper previously took various unofficial visits to Knoxville, but has not scheduled an official visit with the Volunteers, giving the Nittany Lions a leg up on them.
Cooper is ranked No. 837 nationally and is the No. 64 unspecified athlete from the Class of 2027. He's also ranked 29th out of recruits from North Carolina, according to 247Sports Composite rankings. Per Rivals Industry Rankings, Cooper is ranked 76th among safeties in the class.
As a junior in 2025, Cooper totaled 97 tackles and five tackles for loss, averaging 8.1 tackles per game over 12 contests. He also logged six passes defended, two forced fumbles, and one interception for Providence Day School.
While Penn State's Class of 2027 secondary isn't shallow by any means, the cornerback room is boosting the defense. Four of five defensive backs come from that room while three-star Jonathan Galette is the only one holding down safety. Galette will visit the Nittany Lions on June 12-14, one week after Cooper is in Happy Valley.
Cooper isn't the only other safety head coach Matt Campbell is still targeting. Four-star Cooper Ohnmacht is projected to land at Penn State (79.8 percent chance, according to Rivals), and three-star Zayvon Miller has the blue and white in his list of top teams. Outside of Cooper, Ohnmacht, and Miller, the Nittany Lions aren't high on three-stars Seth Williams' and Jeovanni Henley's lists.
Penn State's recruiting class, now that it has volume, is in need of depth. Also, verbal commitments can flip on Campbell. So, while it has 20 players committed and is ranked No. 5 in the country right now, that can (and likely will) change. Safety is one of those areas that Campbell has to focus on moving into official visit season.
After the 2026 season, too, the Nittany Lions are losing at least three safeties on their roster. Marcus Neal Jr., who will be a junior in 2026, might also leave and declare for the 2027 NFL Draft, leaving the team down four in that room. One Class of 2027 safety isn't enough to cut it.
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