FLIP WATCH: Recruiting Expert Predicts Who Penn State & Matt Campbell Will Target Next!

Penn State football recruiting took another hit when four-star running back Aiden Gibson flipped from Penn State to Rutgers and reclassified into the 2026 class. On this Locked On crossover, Zach Seyko is joined by recruiting analyst Brian Smith to break down what Gibson’s decision means for Matt Campbell, Penn State’s running back room, and the Nittany Lions’ next move. The discussion covers Penn State’s options after the Gibson flip, including the transfer portal, possible flip targets, Chukwuma Odoh, Da’Jon Talley-Rhodes, Kemon Spell, David “Tre” Segarra, Gary Walker, Isaiah Rogers, James Peoples, Carson Hansen, Quinton Martin Jr., and Cam Wallace. Zach and Brian also discuss the bigger recruiting concern after Penn State missed on DeShawn Hall, Jamir Dean, Khalil Taylor, and now Gibson. Is this simply bad timing and modern recruiting chaos, or is it a bigger issue for Matt Campbell and Penn State’s offensive recruiting? Penn State wanted two running backs in this class, and now the staff has to decide whether to chase a high school flip, lean on the portal, or reset the board for 2028. Drop your thoughts in the comments: should Penn State try to flip another running back, attack the transfer portal, or avoid overpaying and wait for the right fit? Photo credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect Become an every-dayer! Subscribe to Locked On Nittany Lions on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LockedOnNittanyLions?sub\_confirmation=1 Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon. Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. From the opening whistle to the final kick, Let There Be Goals on FanDuel. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started now. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… 🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LONittanyLions?sid=YouTube Locked On College Conferences, HBCU, Basketball & More 🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnCollege Follow the show on X! https://x.com/LockedOnNittany https://x.com/zach\_seyko #lockedonnittanylions #pennstate #nittanylions #pennstatefootball #collegefootball #bigtenfootball #ncaafootball #lockedon #weare #football #recruiting #footballrecruiting #pennstaterecruiting #collegerecruiting #collegefootballrecruiting #weare #highschoolfootball 0:00 Intro 1:13 High School Flip or Transfer Portal? 2:38 Kemon Spell, Tre Segarra, Gary Walker and Isaiah Rogers 4:16 Why Penn State Should Not Chase Every RB Target 5:39 Penn State’s Running Back Depth Question 6:52 Da’Jon Talley-Rhodes as a Realistic Flip Target 8:27 Sponsor Break 11:20 Why the Rutgers Flip Was More Complicated 12:45 Admissions, Reclassification and Timing Context 14:29 What Matt Campbell Has to Prove Next 15:29 Why Penn State’s 2028 RB Recruiting Matters 17:02 DeShawn Hall, Jamir Dean, Khalil Taylor and the Bigger Pattern 18:33 Brian Smith’s Verdict on Penn State Recruiting 20:27 Final Thoughts and Comments Question Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.