James Franklin continues to stack up elite prospect visits for upcoming Penn State White Out matchup vs. Oregon
Penn State is putting a lot of recruiting eggs into its matchup with the Oregon Ducks on Sept. 27. While winning the game would be massive for this season, James Franklin can parlay the opportunity to reinvigorate future recruiting classes if Happy Valley wins over visiting prospects. While Penn State usually focuses on local talent, […]
Penn State is putting a lot of recruiting eggs into its matchup with the Oregon Ducks on Sept. 27. While winning the game would be massive for this season, James Franklin can parlay the opportunity to reinvigorate future recruiting classes if Happy Valley wins over visiting prospects. While Penn State usually focuses on local talent, there will be more traveled recruits coming.
Terry Smith, Penn State’s cornerback coach, has a proven track record of drawing top-tier defensive back talent from beyond the program’s usual recruiting regions. As the 2027 recruiting cycle heats up, Smith is once again showcasing his ability to compete for some of the nation’s best prospects.
While in-state stars like Pittsburgh’s Carter Bonner and Baltimore’s Raylaun Henry remain key targets for the Nittany Lions, Smith is casting a wide net, with a particular focus on Raleigh, N.C., standout Xavier Hasan.
Penn State Targets Elite Defensive Back Xavier Hasan for 2027 Class
Hasan, a 6-foot, 180-pound cornerback from Cardinal Gibbons High School, received an offer from Penn State in March. With nearly 40 scholarship offers from programs nationwide, securing his commitment will be a challenge. However, Penn State is making strides by hosting Hasan for his first campus visit during this year’s highly anticipated White Out game against Oregon.
Hasan has been busy exploring his options, having visited over 20 schools. His summer included stops at elite programs like Florida, Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Tennessee. This season, he’s already attended games at Duke, North Carolina, and N.C. State, and he’s set to visit Notre Dame again this weekend for their matchup against Texas A&M.
“I watch a lot of Big Ten football and I know Penn State is a good program,” Hasan told Rivals analyst Steve Wiltfong back in August. “The White Out games are some of the best. The energy, the defense, the vibe makes me want to get up to a game and see if it’s a fit for me.”
Ranked as a four-star prospect across major recruiting platforms, Hasan is a standout in the 2027 class. Rivals lists him as the No. 60 overall prospect nationally, No. 5 at cornerback, and No. 3 in North Carolina. According to the Industry Rankings, he’s No. 55 nationally, No. 7 at his position, and the top-ranked player in his state.
Hasan is among several high-profile cornerbacks confirmed to attend Penn State’s White Out game. Joining him will be Ohio’s four-star prospect Ace Alston from Cincinnati, as well as Virginia’s Levi Babin and Philadelphia’s Jelane Richardson, signaling a strong recruiting push by Smith and the Nittany Lions’ staff.
