Penn State lands ex-JMU receiver from tranfer portal

Penn State football team is trying to move quickly in its reset under new head coach Matt Campbell, and that urgency is showing up in two places at once: the staff search and the 2026 recruiting board. After a disastrous 2025 that ended with James Franklin being fired, the early signal from the new regime is simple: tighten the infrastructure, then start stacking pieces around it.

That brings us to the latest recruiting win. On X, Hayes Fawcett reported that Class of 2026 wide receiver Ben Whitver has committed to Penn State for Rivals after being released from his signing with James Madison the day before.

BREAKING: Class of 2026 WR Ben Whitver has Committed to Penn State, he tells me for @Rivals

The 6’2 190 WR was released from his signing with JMU yesterday

“Merry Christmas momma, WE ARE "https://t.co/8oeyyRdmZE pic.twitter.com/pVEvoisb5r

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 27, 2025

Whitver is listed at 6’2, 190 pounds, and the speed of the flip is the notable part. Penn State didn’t waste time once he was back on the market.

The timing also lines up with the broader coaching moves Campbell is working through. Penn State is targeting USC defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn as its next DC, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz.

Lynn has a direct Penn State connection as a former Nittany Lions defensive back from 2008-11, and he’s built a coaching resume that includes a strong defensive turnaround at UCLA in 2023 before moving to USC and improving that unit in 2024 and 2025.

Penn State’s need for a defensive coordinator is real. The program hired Jim Knowles in 2025, the season went sideways during a six-game losing streak, and Knowles ultimately left for Tennessee, leaving Campbell with a major opening in his first year in State College.

Recruiting has been moving in parallel.

Penn State recently landed 2026 quarterback Kase Evans after he was released from his Iowa State signing, also via a Hayes Fawcett report for Rivals, and Campbell is bringing familiar assistants from Iowa State as well: offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser, offensive line coach Ryan Clanton, and secondary coach Deon Broomfield, per On3’s Greg Pickel.

Whitver’s commitment fits that same pattern: new blueprints always come together.

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