Penn State hopes location matters in recruitment for five-star target

Penn State has recently fallen into hard times in terms of recruitment for the 2026 cycle. After countless losses on players, whether it be to Notre Dame’s aggressive tactics or Big Ten rival Oregon’s intriguing allure, Penn State is rapidly giving ground to key recruiting rivals. However, in their last-ditch attempt to lure a 5-star to Happy Valley, a key recruiting tactic could be handy.

Immanuel Iheanacho is the last true hope for Penn State to land a 5-star recruit in the 2026 cycle. The No. 8 overall recruit and 1st-ranked interior O-lineman in the class, Iheanacho is also a Maryland guy, something Penn State can lean into when recruiting his services. While other schools may have more pull in terms of money, prestige, and playing time, it may just be location that could be key in Iheanacho’s decision-making process.

While Oregon seems to be the current leader in the clubhouse for Iheanacho, positive rumors could point to the fact that Penn State is not quite out of it yet. According to Pro Football Network and On3, Iheanacho was quoted as saying, “They(Penn State) told me that I don’t have to fly seven hours away to Oregon to do what I want to do, but I can do it all at Penn State where my parents can see each game,” proving that a race could be on for his commitment. After all, despite his recent visit to Oregon and his last visit to Penn State coming on June 13, Iheanacho has visited Happy Valley four times. He has also teased his frequent visits with posts on Twitter as well.

With ample time before his commitment, with both Penn State and Oregon looking to make statements, it is entering crunch time. Penn State may need to key in on their pivotal pitches to ultimately win his services.

Source link : https://nittanylionswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/nittany-lions/recruiting/2025/06/23/penn-state-football-recruiting-immanuel-iheanacho-oregon-maryland/84306574007/

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Publish date : 2025-06-23 13:00:00

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