Penn State football has done well in the past week in recruitment from getting players on campus to earning commitments. With head coach Matt Campbell playing catch-up with all the other programs across the country, assistant head coach and cornerbacks coach Terry Smith is keeping things operating at a smooth pace.
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Four-star cornerback Dhillon McGee was in Happy Valley over the weekend for a multi-day spring visit. Right by his side was Smith.
"We spent my two and half days together and I have nothing but respect for him," McGee told Tyler Calvaruso of Lions247.
The cornerback's last visit was Week 5 of the 2025 season for the White Out game versus Oregon. Since then, like many other recruits interested in Penn State, McGee distanced himself while the Nittany Lions figured out their next moves.
However, similar to other potential prospects, the rising high school senior couldn't stay away from Happy Valley once Campbell was hired. Following his spring visit, he spoke highly of the Nittany Lions to Sam Spiegelman of Rivals.
“They’ve been consistently checking in, building that relationship, and really making me feel like a priority," McGee said.
Smith's ability to relate to and build connections with players is undeniable. From his time as interim head coach during the back half of the 2025 season to his recruiting talents, Smith is a huge piece of Penn State's culture.
Culture is something Campbell harped on once taking the job at State College. Though he's not known as a magic recruiter, Campbell clearly kept the right people in place in order to instill a rich culture and steer recruits in their direction.
McGee is ranked 376th nationally, 40th among cornerbacks, and 49th out of recruits from Texas, per 247Sports Composite rankings. Rivals Industry Ranking has him listed at No. 278 overall, No. 28 at his position, and No. 38 from Texas.
Penn State is also considered the leading school to land McGee, per Rivals, with a 35.8 percent chance. Right behind the blue and white is SMU with a 25.3 percent chance. Texas and Oklahoma are other teams in the mix as well.