Penn State Lands 3-Star Safety Recruit Jonathan Galette

Nittany Lions add defensive back to 2027 class after spring visit

Apr. 18, 2026 at 10:35pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a football player in the midst of a tackle, with the player's body broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in navy blue, white, and gold colors, conveying the raw energy and motion of the sport.Galette's commitment adds a talented defensive back to Penn State's 2027 recruiting class as the program looks to build on its recent success.Montvale Today

Penn State football has secured a commitment from three-star safety Jonathan Galette, who chose the Nittany Lions over offers from schools like Wisconsin, Syracuse, and others. Galette, ranked as the No. 567 overall prospect in the 2027 class, visited Penn State's campus in April and quickly developed a strong connection with the coaching staff, particularly safeties coach Deon Broomfield.

Why it matters

The addition of Galette bolsters Penn State's secondary for the future, as the Nittany Lions look to build on their recent success under new head coach Matt Campbell. Galette's commitment is an early win on the recruiting trail for Campbell and his staff as they work to keep top talent in-state and compete with Big Ten rivals for top prospects.

The details

Galette, a 6'0" 180-pound safety from Montvale, New Jersey, is ranked as the No. 56 safety and No. 14 prospect from New Jersey in the 2027 class. He held 24 offers, including from Big Ten programs like Wisconsin, Ohio State, Michigan, and others. Galette visited Penn State for a spring practice on April 14 and quickly felt a connection with the coaching staff, particularly safeties coach Deon Broomfield, who has a track record of developing talent at the position.

  • Galette visited Penn State for a spring practice on April 14, 2026.
  • Galette committed to Penn State on April 18, 2026.
  • Galette is scheduled to take an official visit to Penn State over the weekend of June 12, 2026.

The players

Jonathan Galette

A three-star safety recruit from Montvale, New Jersey, ranked as the No. 567 overall prospect in the 2027 class.

Deon Broomfield

The safeties coach at Penn State, who has a track record of developing talent at the position from his time at Iowa State.

Matt Campbell

The new head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions, hired in December 2025.

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What they’re saying

“I see myself fitting into their defense really well. I think I excel at all the things they like to do.”

— Jonathan Galette, Recruit

“The coaching staff made my recruitment a point of emphasis, which evidently paid off very quickly.”

— Jonathan Galette, Recruit

What’s next

Galette is still scheduled to take an official visit to Wisconsin over the weekend of May 29, 2026, but it's possible he may cancel that visit now that he has committed to Penn State.

The takeaway

Galette's commitment is an early win for new Penn State head coach Matt Campbell and his staff as they work to build the Nittany Lions' 2027 recruiting class. The addition of a talented defensive back like Galette will help strengthen Penn State's secondary for the future.