The Penn State Nittany Lions are kicking off a new era as the first Spring practices with Matt Campbell at the helm are underway. One of the most important tasks for Matt Campbell this season, along with winning games, will be building a deep recruiting class. When James Franklin took the Virginia Tech job, he dealt significant blows to Penn State's recruiting class.
While recruiting is never easy, Penn State does have a significant advantage with being the most notable Power 4 school in the Northeast. Matt Campbell has a great regional advantage to tap into, and early on he's doing just that to build his first recruiting class.
Penn State beats out James Franklin and others for 3-star defensive tackle
On Saturday, Penn State's 2027 recruiting class grew as the Nittany Lions picked up a commitment from defensive line recruit Carter Blattner. The Nittany Lions beat out USC, Kentucky, and former head coach James Franklin and the Virginia Tech Hokies for the 3-star recruit.
BREAKING: Class of 2027 DL Carter Blattner has Committed to Penn State, he tells me for @Rivals⁰⁰The 6’6 250 DL from Allendale, NJ chose the Nittany Lions over USC, Kentucky, and Virginia Tech
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) April 4, 2026
“I’m HOME #WeAre 🦁”⁰⁰https://t.co/N8ZRAyqkc2 pic.twitter.com/5Bj24ihpv4
According to Rivals' Industry Recruiting Rankings, Carter Blattner is the 432nd ranked player in the Country, the 51st ranked defensive tackle, and the 8th ranked player out of New Jersey. As players continue to rise and fall down the rankings, Blattner will have a great chance to pick up a 4th star with another great season.
Carter Blattner is the 4th player to commit to Penn State thus far in this class with all 4 ranking as 3-star recruits. Matt Campbell always found diamonds in the rough on the recruiting trail, and the fact that he's landing under the radar players should be a positive for Penn State fans.
The next few weeks will be pivotal for the Nittany Lions as top recruits continue to come off the board. Pennsylvania is loaded with elite talent this cycle, and Campbell's staff is going to reel in some of the top 100 prospects from their backyard if this is going to end up an impressive class.