Matt Campbell, Penn State Hosting 4-Star Edge Rusher for 2028 Class

Matt Campbell and the Penn State Nittany Lions are off to a great start to the 2026 season with a 3-0 record. This is Campbell's first year as the Nittany Lions head coach, and he has them as the 13th-ranked team in the country through their first three games. 

Campbell had a ton of success during his decade-long tenure with the Iowa State Cyclones, where he had a 72-55 record and won three Big 12 Coach of the Year Awards.

He brought in a ton of talent to Penn State via the transfer portal and is having instant success in his first season in the Happy Valley. Many of the transfers he added came from Iowa State, which has helped with familiarity with the schemes.

Campbell and his staff continue to look to the future as they host four-star edge rusher George Parkinson IV on a visit.

Parkinson is among the top edge rushers in the 2028 class and is the 13th-ranked player in Pennsylvania. The Nittany Lions have plenty of competition to land him, as teams like the Ohio State Buckeyes, LSU Tigers, Oregon Ducks, and Tennessee Volunteers have made offers.

If Penn State plays well for the remainder of the season and makes it into the College Football Playoff, it would give Campbell a strong pitch to land top recruits like Parkinson.

The Nittany Lions' pass rush hasn't been productive on paper despite the blowout wins thus far in 2026, as they've only recorded five total sacks, with Tony Rojas, Kooper Ebel, Caleb Bacon, Alex Tatsch, and Yvan Kemajou each posting one. 

However, the defense as a whole has been great, as they are allowing the fourth-fewest yards per game (201), second-fewest passing yards per game (90), and third-fewest points per game (7.3) in college football.

If Penn State can get more sacks from their pass rushers, their defense could elevate to an even higher level this season.

The Nittany Lions have a tougher schedule ahead, which will put their defense to the test in their next four games against Wisconsin, Northwestern, USC, and Michigan. If Penn State can win three or all four of these matchups, they will be in the mix to make the College Football Playoff.

Campbell has transformed the Nittany Lions since last year, when they finished 7-6, and he continues to look to add more talent in the future by hosting players like Parkinson on a visit.