4-Star QB Recruit Impressed by Penn State Culture and Program

Will Mencl extends visit after Miami lands another QB, sees opportunity to compete at Penn State.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 4:40am

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A fragmented, geometric painting in muted earth tones with flashes of bright blue and red, depicting the overlapping planes and perspectives involved in a top quarterback's college decision-making process.A cubist rendering captures the multifaceted considerations of a top quarterback recruit as Penn State and Oregon vie for his commitment.Happy Valley Today

Four-star quarterback recruit Will Mencl had a positive multi-day visit to Penn State, extending his stay after Miami landed another QB recruit. Mencl was impressed by the program's culture, coaching staff, facilities, and academic offerings, seeing a chance to compete as a young player in the quarterback room.

Why it matters

Landing a top quarterback recruit like Mencl would be a major boost for Penn State's football program as they look to continue building momentum and competing for Big Ten titles. Mencl is a highly sought-after prospect, with Oregon currently considered the favorite, so Penn State making a strong impression and keeping themselves in the running is significant.

The details

During his extended visit, Mencl was able to spend time with the Penn State coaching staff, tour the campus and facilities, and get a feel for the program's culture. His mother, Amy, said the visit was 'lovely' and that the culture under head coach James Campbell will be 'amazing.' Mencl himself noted that he sees a quarterback room where he can be competitive as a young player, and was impressed by the academics as well as the campus and facilities.

  • Mencl originally planned to visit Miami after his time at Penn State.
  • However, Miami landed another quarterback recruit, Israel Abrams, while Mencl was at Penn State, so he ended up extending his stay in Happy Valley.

The players

Will Mencl

A four-star quarterback recruit from Arizona who is ranked among the top players at his position in the 2026 class.

Amy Mencl

The mother of quarterback recruit Will Mencl, who provided positive feedback about Penn State's culture and program after her son's visit.

James Campbell

The head coach of the Penn State football team, who made a strong impression on Mencl and his family during the recruit's visit.

Israel Abrams

A quarterback recruit who committed to Miami while Mencl was visiting Penn State, leading Mencl to extend his stay in Happy Valley.

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What they’re saying

“They gave [Mencl] a lot to think about. I talked to his mother, Amy, first, then talked to [Mencl]; and his mom said it was a lovely visit, said the culture there is going to be amazing with coach Campbell and the staff . . . They thoroughly enjoyed [the visit].”

— Steve Wiltfong, Recruiting Expert

“He sees a quarterback room where he can be competitive as a young player . . . really enjoyed being around the staff, pointed to the academics as well as something that really caught his eye. Then [Mencl] talked about the incredible campus, the great facilities.”

— Steve Wiltfong, Recruiting Expert

What’s next

Mencl has a visit to Oregon scheduled for the back half of April, and a decision is expected to come soon after that. Penn State has kept themselves in the running, but Oregon is still considered the favorite to land the top quarterback recruit.

The takeaway

This recruitment battle highlights Penn State's efforts to build a strong quarterback room and continue their momentum as a top program in the Big Ten. While Oregon remains the favorite, Penn State has made a strong impression on Mencl and kept themselves firmly in the running for this elite 2026 prospect.