Experts say James Franklin’s move to Virginia Tech could send shockwaves through Penn State’s recruiting board
James Franklin’s move to Virginia Tech is already shaking up Penn State’s recruiting board as experts say his aggressive recruiting style could trigger major flips.
James Franklin has been at Virginia Tech for less than a week, and the ripple effects are already hitting Penn State’s recruiting board. When Franklin signed with the Hokies, they didn’t just hire a new head coach. They hired one of the most relentless recruiters in college football, and according to 247Sports insiders Tom Loy and Brian Dohn, his impact could be immediate.
Franklin’s exit from Penn State came after a 3 and 3 start and a season that collapsed faster than anyone in State College imagined. Now he is trying to rebuild Virginia Tech by doing the same thing he did at Vanderbilt and Penn State: win recruiting battles through sheer force of will. And Penn State is likely to be one of the first programs in the crosshairs.
Recruiting experts say the “James Franklin effect” is already happening
“He’s an elite recruiter,” Dohn said. “The guy lives for recruiting. While a lot of coaches pull back during the season and not get on the road, he’ll get on the road. Colleges are allowed 33 days out on the road. He’ll take a third of them by himself and go from game to game, school to school.”
That work ethic is what built Franklin’s reputation. Dohn said he watched Franklin recruit up close during camps, and the reaction from families was always the same. “He’s so quick to build a relationship and make you feel important,” he said. “Everything he says during recruiting comes to fruition.”
That track record is why Virginia Tech fans are buzzing. Franklin does not just recruit hard. He recruits with consistency. “He’s diligent,” Dohn said. “He’s going to offer you, then stay in contact. He’ll get you on campus and make you feel like a million bucks.”
Now Franklin is turning that energy toward Penn State’s board.
Possible targets: Thomas Wilder and Tyson Harley
Tom Loy believes the immediate priority for Franklin is simple. “A lot of it is keeping the current guys in the fold, then maybe sliding over and snagging some of the guys from Penn State,” he said. “That’s the key.”
The most notable flip candidate right now is Thomas Wilder, one of Virginia Tech’s top offensive line targets. “With James Franklin’s arrival, I think they’re going to get that one done,” Loy said. “They’re moving in the right direction.”
Dohn added even more urgency to the conversation. “Another Penn State commit, Tyson Harley at Gonzaga. [I know] James Franklin really wants to flip him and get him down there.”
More could follow. Dohn expects Virginia Tech’s full recruiting surge to hit in January, when Franklin begins roster retention and portal strategy. “You’ll see the James Franklin recruiting effect in full once the winter hits.”
The stakes are high for Penn State
The timing of Franklin’s Virginia Tech hiring truly stings. Penn State is still without a permanent head coach. Staffers have already left for Blacksburg. Commitments are wavering. And Franklin, who built deep ties in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C., is now selling those same relationships from a different sideline.
The next coach in State College will inherit a roster under pressure, a disrupted recruiting cycle, and a former head coach attacking the same territories that once defined Penn State’s rise.
Franklin is not just rebuilding the Hokies. He is testing Penn State’s foundation at the exact moment it is most vulnerable.
Penn State Nittany Lions News
Penn State’s coaching search hits turbulence — and Josh Pate isn’t buying the ‘upgrade’ narrative
Josh Pate breaks down Penn State’s chaotic coaching search, questioning the firing of James Franklin and evaluating candidates like Matt Campbell, Clark Lea, Eli Drinkwitz and Brian Hartline.
