Penn State’s decision to fire HC James Franklin could lead to some great news for Notre Dame Fighting Irish recruiting
Penn State opted to part ways with head coach James Franklin over the weekend. That decision could be a huge help to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
After a lot of chatter around Penn State football recently, including back-to-back unforgivable losses to UCLA and Northwestern, the Nittany Lions program opted to part ways with head coach James Franklin over the weekend. That decision, especially only six games into the 2025 college football season, is going to have a ton of repercussions moving forward. Don’t be surprised if we see massive roster turnover over the next several months.
On the recruiting trail, there’s a good chance you see the impact of the Franklin firing even sooner. In fact, we have already seen several commitments opt to open their recruitment and search for other opportunities over the weekend. Even before the most recent loss to Northwestern this past weekend, 2027 Pittsburgh (Pa.) Pine-Richland wide receiver Khalil Taylor chose to decommit on Monday. The Pennsylvania native had previously been committed to the Nittany Lions since March.
The writing on the wall was even there before the final game. Taylor just managed to read it before some others.
Notre Dame’s relationship with Khalil Taylor
Behind the scenes, Notre Dame has been talking to Taylor consistently over the last few months since offering him in June. There has been good vibes on both sides, and it appears that Taylor is very interested in the Irish. That doesn’t necessarily mean that Taylor will definitely end up with the Fighting Irish, but they have as good of a chance as anyone right now.
With offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock in place, this Notre Dame offense has continued to value athletes who can create some explosive plays in space. That fits Taylor’s skill set perfectly. He combines short area quickness with long speed to become an absolute headache for defenses when he has the football in his hands.
Taylor is considered to be a four-star player by each of the major recruiting platforms. On the 247 Sports Composite ranking, Taylor currently sits as the No. 56 overall player, the No. 11 wide receiver, and the No. 3 player in the state of Pennsylvania for the 2027 recruiting class. The Pittsburgh star is consistently ranked as one of the very best pass catchers in his class overall no matter what platform you frequent most.
A long list of impressive programs have continued to pursue Taylor even while he was committed to the Nittany Lions. Some of his top offers currently include the Fighting Irish, Florida State, Nebraska, Indiana, Pittsburgh, Kentucky, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Maryland, Syracuse, West Virginia, and Rutgers among several others. That list promises to expand with Taylor back on the market.
Taylor is off to a solid start so far as a junior in 2025. In six games that he has played, the 5-11, 180-pound pass catcher has managed to haul in 12 receptions for 264 yards and eight touchdowns, an average of 22 yards per reception. Taylor is also the team’s top punt and kick returner, taking three returns back for touchdowns as well. He is currently averaging 63 yards per kick return, and an impressive 13.8 yards per punt return, showcasing his big time playmaking potential.
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