James Franklin is Out-Recruiting Matt Campbell & Penn State?! — Recruiting Expert Weighs In...

Penn State football recruiting is ahead of schedule under Matt Campbell, but the Nittany Lions still have important needs to close out in the 2026 class. Zach Seyko and Brian Smith break down whether James Franklin is really out-recruiting Campbell, how Penn State’s class compares to Virginia Tech, and why the current recruiting picture is more positive than some fans may realize.

The conversation covers Penn State’s 20 commitments, remaining needs at edge rusher, linebacker, safety, and wide receiver, plus key targets like Abraham Sesay, Ifeanyi Emedobi, Case Alexander, Khalil Taylor, DeShawn Hall, Landon Blum, and Jamir Dean. The episode also gets into Steve Sarkisian’s comments about Penn State firing James Franklin and whether that criticism ignores the full context of Franklin’s 12-year tenure.

This matters now because official visit season is arriving, Penn State still needs to finish the class with impact defensive talent, and the Campbell vs. Franklin recruiting debate is already shaping how fans judge the new era.

Penn State fans: do you feel better about the class now, or is edge rusher still too big of a concern?

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0:00 Is James Franklin Out-Recruiting Matt Campbell?

1:29 Brian Smith on Penn State vs Virginia Tech Recruiting

3:13 Why Campbell Wasn’t Hired Just to Recruit Better

5:12 What Penn State Fans Need From Matt Campbell

7:29 Penn State Is Ahead of Schedule With 20 Commits

10:20 Abraham C. Say and Penn State’s Edge Rusher Need

12:04 Ifeanyi Emedobi and Other Pass Rush Options

13:13 Case Alexander, Linebacker Needs, and Family Ties

14:00 Khalil Taylor, DeSean Hall, and WR Recruiting

16:03 Penn State Recruiting Receivers Better Already?

18:00 Pass Rusher Is Penn State’s No. 1 Priority

19:20 Steve Sarkisian Calls Out Penn State

21:05 The Missing Context on James Franklin

22:57 Why Penn State Eventually Drew the Line

24:47 Would Texas Fire Sarkisian in the Same Situation?

25:40 Final Thoughts on Recruiting and Official Visits

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