Penn State’s most annoying recruiting foes land Deonte Flemings Jr.’s game-day visits

If you’ve followed Penn State recruiting at all this summer, you know that Matt Campbell struggled to impress in-state recruits in the 2027 class. In 2028, however, he’s fared much better early on. Campbell has commitments from two of Pennsylvania’s top juniors, four-star quarterback James Armstrong and four-star cornerback Deonte Flemings Jr., and has reportedly been making inroads with other blue-chip talent. 

Armstrong appears locked in with Penn State, but Flemings, the No. 113 recruit in the country by 247Sports Composite, has a busy fall chock-full of game-day visits that could change his mind, including with two of Campbell’s most annoying recruiting foes: Matt Rhule and Marcus Freeman.  

Of course, there’s another trip to Happy Valley on the docket, but Nebraska, Notre Dame, and Ole Miss are leading the charge to flip his commitment, while Texas A&M and Tennessee also secured trips from the McDowell High School product. 

Deonte Flemings Jr.’s commitment doesn’t sound solid

Along with announcing his visits, Flemings also told Rivals, “At the end of the day, I still want to be a kid and enjoy my recruitment and make the best decision for me and my family.”

That quote could have a few interpretations. It could be an in-state kid who is excited to become a Nittany Lion but wants to experience a few incredible game-day atmospheres this fall and soak in his recruitment process. And who could blame him for that? 

It could also be a player who is seriously considering a flip, meaning his commitment isn’t nearly as solid as it previously seemed. Penn State had multiple commits in the 2027 class flip this summer, but this wouldn’t be the first time Campbell hasn’t held onto a blue-chip talent through signing day, and he hasn’t yet made it to his first signing day as Penn State’s head coach. 

To make matters worse, if Fleming is open to a flip, two of the schools he’s considering are Nebraska and Notre Dame, which have proven to be a thorn in the Nittany Lions’ side for a few years now. 

Losing Flemings to Nebraska or Notre Dame would sting even worse

The Nebraska recruiting feud is more recent. Coach Rhule is a former Nittany Lion, but rather than exploring a return to Happy Valley this offseason, which may or may not have been a good idea for the program, he signed an extension in Lincoln. Then, with renewed investment, he plucked four-star wide receiver Khalil Taylor out of Western Pennsylvania and away from Campbell this summer. 

With Freeman and Notre Dame, the feud has been simmering much longer. There was a bit of cross-pollination on the coaching staff when Ja’Juan Seider left for South Bend after the Fighting Irish knocked Penn State out of the 2024 College Football Playoff. However, even before that happened, Freeman was plucking top talent out of PA. 

In 2025, Notre Dame plucked Anthony Sacca from Philadelphia, and in the 2026 class, the floodgates opened. Top PA recruit Joey O’Brien chose the Irish, as did Grayson McKeogh and Tyler Merrill, two four-star offensive linemen and top-10 recruits in PA. This cycle, it’s top-five PA recruits: Abraham Sesay, a five-star EDGE from Exton, PA, and James Halter, a four-star offensive tackle from Pittsburgh. 

Campbell cannot let Flemings get added to that list, especially considering the state’s top recruit in 2028, Jett Harrison, younger brother of Marvin Harrison Jr., has already committed to Ohio State. 

The in-state crop in 2028 is excellent, and Campbell has great momentum with them. Losing Fleming would stunt that and, not to be hyperbolic, but potentially derail the entire class.

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