Penn State football has the No. 2 class of 2027 recruiting class as it stands now. After failing to rally an impressive class of 2026 in the heat of recruitment in June, the Nittany Lions group of rising juniors have to make up for the misses and flips they recently suffered.
So far, three of their four top targets gave their verbal commitments: four-stars running back Kemon Spell, offensive tackle Layton Von Brandt, and wide receiver Khalil Taylor. The last prospect that can complete that quartet is another four-star wide receiver, but it looks like it will be a Big Ten battle in the early stages of 2027 recruitment.
Archbishop Spalding's Myles McAfee is the No. 63 overall recruit, according to 247Sports, the No. 12 wide receiver from his class, and the No. 2 prospect out of Maryland. He's received 19 offers so far, but appears to be leaning towards three on 247Sports' tracker: Penn State, Ohio State, and Maryland.
The Terrapins were one of the two first offers McAfee received back in Nov. 2023 and made an unofficial visit to College Park a year later. In between, he made a visit to Happy Valley in April 2024, attended the Nittany Lions' school camp on June 2, 2024, and received his Penn State offer that same day. The wide receiver made another trip on Sept. 7. As for the Buckeyes, McAfee received his offer in Sept. 2024 and took an unofficial visit on Nov. 30, 2024.
According to InsideMDSports' Jack Sheehan, McAfee didn't name Ohio State as the second out of state school recruiting him hard, but rather that Oregon is the other team alongside Penn State. As more offers roll in, the three-way Big Ten battle might turn into four very soon.
Unlike the class of 2026 recruitment wave, though, the Buckeyes and Ducks aren't the Nittany Lions' main opponent. They will have to buckle down and recruit McAfee hard if they intend on beating out Maryland. The Terrapins are an early favorite in this race with the home-state advantage.
"I'm cool with going anywhere," McAfee said to Sheehan, according to Maryland Terrapins On SI. "But I definitely like Maryland. Maryland is definitely up there."
As a sophomore, McAfee led the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and receptions. He recored 651 yards and 10 touchdowns on 54 catches in 2024. The wide receiver helped lead his team to a 12-0 record and a second-place finish in the state, per MaxPreps.
Penn State will need a solid flow of incoming wide receivers to avoid its struggles in 2024. The three transfer wideouts it gained in the offseason won't be around after 2025-26 as they all enter their final season of eligibility. While McAfee will only be a senior in high school in 2026, head coach James Franklin has to look at the long-term in building up his pool of young talent. He has three wide receivers committed from the class of 2026 — only one of which is a four-star. One four-star wide receiver from the class of 2027 won't cut it if Franklin intends on making up for his lack of success in his class of rising seniors.