02/04/26 03:36:00
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02/04 15:34 CST College football's February signing period is quiet for most
schools. Penn State is an exception
College football's February signing period is quiet for most schools. Penn
State is an exception
By STEVE MEGARGEE
AP Sports Writer
College football's February signing period is pretty much an afterthought for
most schools nowadays, but it meant plenty to new Penn State coach Matt
Campbell.
Penn State signed only two high school recruits during the December signing
period because the Nittany Lions hadn't yet hired Campbell away from Iowa
State. That left Campbell quite busy trying to put together a freshman class
while also working the transfer portal and hiring his staff.
"The last two months has been a whirlwind in a multitude of different ways,"
Campbell said Wednesday.
Penn State now has an incoming freshman class of 15 recruits, and most of them
originally signed with Iowa State before following Campbell to his new school.
Most of the high school seniors who initially had committed to Penn State
landed at Virginia Tech in December after James Franklin was fired as the
Nittany Lions' coach and got hired by the Hokies.
Although Penn State's class still ranks in the bottom third of the Big Ten,
according to composite rankings of recruiting sites compiled by 247Sports, it
looks much greater than it did a couple of months ago. Penn State also had
added over three dozen transfers, with the majority of them also coming over
from Iowa State.
One of the top former Iowa State recruits to end up at Penn State is edge
rusher Elijah Reeder. He can team up with December signee Jackson Ford to give
the Nittany Lions a pair of promising pass-rushing prospects.
Penn State was an anomaly in signing most of its incoming freshman class in
February rather than December. Virtually all the major college prospects now
finalize their college plans in December as the February signing date has faded
in relevance.
One notable player who remained uncommitted heading into the February signing
period was edge rusher Dylan Berymon, who announced he will play for Nebraska.
Berymon is the nation's No. 223 prospect in his class, according to the
247Sports Composite.
"Big, powerful, strong kid," said Tom Loy, a national recruiting analyst for
247Sports. "Just want to continue to see him keep his motor up, keep the weight
down, but he's a guy Nebraska's very excited about."
Notre Dame also made some news Wednesday by signing quarterback Teddy Jarrard,
who had been a 2027 prospect before reclassifying. The move enabled Jarrard to
sign with Notre Dame on Wednesday and begin his college career this fall.
Jarrard will have a chance to compete for the right to serve as the main backup
to returning starter CJ Carr. Kenny Minchey, who backed up Carr this past
season, has transferred to Kentucky.
Minchey's exit leaves Carr, Jarrard, incoming freshman Noah Grubbs and Blake
Hebert as Notre Dame's only scholarship quarterbacks. Hebert didn't play as a
true freshman this past season.
"You look at the size, the frame, the mechanics, there's a lot to like about
Teddy Jarrard," Loy said. "I think he's the most likely next-up option after CJ
Carr."
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