Just over a week into Matt Campbell’s tenure as the Nittany Lions’ 17th head football coach, he and his staff are already reconnecting with recruits who bolted from Penn State’s 2027 class during the chaos of the coaching transition. Among them is a Pennsylvania native who decommitted in mid-October after committing to Franklin’s staff back in March. Now, to keep top in-state talent home, the new coaching staff has officially re-offered him.​

That Pennsylvania native is 4-star wide receiver Khalil Taylor. After being reoffered by Matt Campbell and Co., Taylor wasted no time sharing the news on social media. He posted, “#AGTG blessed to be re offered by penn state! @Coach_NPauley @PennStateFball @Rivals @Coach_LeDonne @MFrancis34.”

According to On3’s Sean Fitz, the former Penn State wide receiver commit connected with the new staff on Tuesday. Taylor had been one of the crown jewels of Penn State’s 2027 class before Franklin’s firing sent shockwaves through the program. The decommitment came just two days after Franklin was let go. Taylor became the first domino to fall from what had been shaping up as an elite recruiting class, leaving Penn State scrambling to salvage its future.​

The numbers explain why Campbell made Taylor a priority. Taylor is ranked as the No. 102 overall recruit and No. 14 wide receiver in the 2027 class by 247Sports. His sophomore season at Seton-La Salle had him with 51 receptions for 932 yards and 22 touchdowns.

This production had Rivals scouting director Charles Power gushing about his potential. “Khalil Taylor put together some dominant film,” Power said. “He’s outstanding with the ball in his hands. I mean, you know it’s going to be good when you’re watching a sophomore, and he has a highlight film of just touchdowns.”

Power called him a “well-rounded” prospect with the potential to be a “YAC (yards after catch) monster,” the exact skill set that fits Matt Campbell’s offensive philosophy.​

Taylor transferred to Class 5A powerhouse Pine-Richland for his junior season. And even after missing the first game, he’s been absolutely dominant. Through the 2025 regular season, he’s hauled in 12 receptions for 264 yards and eight touchdowns with the postseason still ahead. That’s an absurd 22 yards per reception and a touchdown every 1.5 catches.

At 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds, Taylor might not have the prototypical size, but his production and versatility more than make up for it. He’s the type of receiver who can win on route-running, separate in tight windows, and turn short catches into big plays. 

Campbell brings his quarterback with him

The Taylor re-offer is just one piece of Matt Campbell’s early recruiting puzzle. Campbell has secured another critical piece for the future by landing 2026 quarterback Kase Evans, who followed his coach from Iowa State to Happy Valley. Evans had signed with Campbell at Iowa State on December 3, only to watch his coach bolt for Penn State just days later.

 After being released from his Iowa State commitment, the three-star signal-caller from Lexington, Texas, became Campbell’s first official pledge in the 2026 class. Evans is now on his third commitment after Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy was fired in September. However, he has made it clear that he’s following Campbell, not just chasing a logo.​ The numbers explain why Campbell called Evans “one of the great steals in this class” during Iowa State’s signing day press conference. Over four years as a starter at Lexington High School, Evans threw for 11,640 yards and 120 touchdowns. 

His junior season was particularly impressive, with 3,113 yards, 37 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions while completing 61.2% of his passes. With Evans arriving on campus in January for the spring semester, Campbell now has six total commits in a 2026 class that’s quickly gaining momentum after a tumultuous fall.​​

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