Top Penn State QB commit James Armstrong's new NIL quote should have fans confident he's locked in

Even with more NIL resources in this new era of Penn State football, head coach Matt Campbell hasn't relied on hefty offers to land his recruiting targets. Unfortunately, that's evident as the Nittany Lions have lost battles for blue-chip prospects and have suffered avoidable, flipped commitments.

Money isn't everything, and for some recruits, it's not about how big the offer is. Four-star quarterback James Armstrong is one of them.

"I don't miss out on money I never had. That's not mine. I already made my choice," Armstrong told Blue White Illustrated.

Four-star quarterback James Armstrong won't be swayed by NIL and is all-in on Penn State

Armstrong committed to the Nittany Lions on July 2, becoming the third 2028 prospect they landed in that cycle. Since his commitment, the quarterback has promoted Penn State heavily. He shared that he already reached out to other in-state recruits, hoping to keep more talent in Pennsylvania and in Happy Valley, specifically.

Armstrong understands the importance of a quarterback not just on the field or even in the locker room, but also rallying others around him before he even enrolls.

"It's the job of the quarterback to make the recruiting class great," Armstrong told Thomas Frank Carr. "The quarterback is the second-most important thing on the team other than the head coach . . . receivers want to see who the quarterback is, running backs, linemen, everything."

That mindset and that initiative can be exciting for some fans, but it can also bring up questions in the age of NIL. Flipped commitments happen, and when a prospect makes an early decision, people can be hesitant on getting too eager just to be deflated and disappointed later on.

Armstrong explained that putting NIL aside completely, loyalty was always emphasized to him growing up. Going back on a decision isn't even on his radar. Armstrong's commitment wasn't a rash decision either; he took time before pledging to Penn State.

"That's an offer on the table," Armstrong said. "I don't miss out on 27 other schools because I got to pick one . . . I go where I want to go and however much money is on the table, that's x-amount of money more than I had before."

Armstrong also added that relationships were a big thing in his recruitment process. One school might give him the most money, but if the people around him don't fit in his life, that's not an option in consideration. Campbell and his staff emphasized building those strong relationships with recruits, and it's paid off for quite a few commits in both the 2027 and 2028 cycles.

That mindset and initiative is crucial, and it foreshadows his leadership and work ethic he'll have at Penn State. It's not about money, it's about development and success to get him to his ultimate goal at the next level professionally.

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