Penn State Nittany Lions fans, you must have seen that James Franklin video now in which he is involved in an alleged argument with a fan in the stands, right? Several analysts have pointed out the ‘wrongs’ in the video, including Josh Pate, when he said, “you would not expect this from Penn State head coach ideally“. But right or wrong aside, the video is a mirror of the season James Franklin would be getting in 2025: intense pressure, deep scrutiny, and fans? Well, they would not leave any stone unturned to point out mistakes now that the head coach is entering his 12th season, with a single playoff appearance in 2024. And the road ahead? It’s getting tougher.

The Nittany Lions wrapped up their 2025 class ranked 14th nationally and have players like Andre Olesh (TE), Daryus Dixson (CB), and LaVar Arrington II (LB). The prospects are surely talented, but the head coach has failed to rope in even a single five-star player, and the transfers?  With just 8 players coming in so far, not all of it seems to be done for Penn State in terms of recruitment. Even then, there’s hope, and it’s huge.

The players returning for Penn State might make up for the lack of quality in the class. The players like Drew Allar (QB). Nicholas Singleton (RB) and Kaytron Allen are returning, which sure provides so much hope. You would think that with all of this set, Franklin would work on making the 2026 class top-ranked with top prospects, right?

According to recent revelations by ON3, the offensive tackle for the 2026 class, Grayson McKeogh, has postponed his visit to Penn State that was going to take place on 13- 15th May. The player even provided his reasoning for the move. “I really want to see more of what the players are like and what they do outside of football. The entire time I’ve taken in everything to know on the football side, so I want to see what these guys are like outside.”. But why the concern?

The player even said, “Penn State and Notre Dame have been catching my eye”. But given the recent move to postpone the visit, it seems his inclination is more towards Notre Dame, which already poached the Nittany Lions’ RBs coach Ja’Juan Seiders. The news is also concerning since there is just one OT in the 2026 class, being Roseby Lubintus (3 Star).  Moreover, Grayson looks to be a solid player for the team, too. The player is rated as a 4-star prospect and is ranked 23rd in his position on 247Sports. A native of Gienside, Pennsylvania, the player stands at 6’7″ and weighs 275 lbs, which makes him a solid prospect for James Franklin.

James Franklin’s  LB depth concerns solved?

The linebacker position at Penn State is something that looks concerning now after the departure of Abdul Carter. Currently, the linebacker room at Penn State has players like Tony Rojas and Dominic DeLuca. That undoubtedly looks good, as Rojas had 35 tackles last season and DeLuca had 21 tackles. Which undoubtedly looks quite good. But the main problem is depth.

James Franklin even said something about the depth issues in the LB room. “We’re not a big portal team, but we’re going to have to address some issues,” Franklin said. “So if there is a linebacker out there that wants to come and be a part of our program and play for LBU, the most historic linebacker program in the history of college football…“. Guess what? The head coach has finally roped in a solid linebacker.

Penn State has added former Tar Heels linebacker Amare Campbell, who committed on May 4th. The 6’0″ 230 lbs linebacker had an exceptional season last year as he recorded 76 tackles along with 10.5 tackles for loss. Moreover, his ability to make QB pressures and force fumbles is quite pronounced. All in all, the player will be an exceptional addition to the LB room and will alleviate the depth concerns for James Franklin.