College Football's February Signing Period Quiet for Most Schools

Penn State's new coach Matt Campbell busy putting together freshman class after late hiring

Feb. 4, 2026 at 6:39pm

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The February college football signing period is now an afterthought for most schools, but it was an active time for new Penn State coach Matt Campbell. After being hired away from Iowa State, Campbell had to quickly assemble a recruiting class, signing 15 high school players, many of whom had originally committed to Iowa State. Penn State's class still ranks in the bottom third of the Big Ten, but it looks much better than it did a couple months ago. The Nittany Lions also added over three dozen transfers, mostly from Iowa State. One notable late signing was edge rusher Dylan Berymon, who will play for Nebraska.

Why it matters

The February signing period has become less relevant as most top high school prospects now finalize their college plans in the December signing period. Penn State's situation was unique, as the Nittany Lions had to scramble to put together a class after hiring Campbell late in the cycle. This highlights the challenges of building a recruiting class on a tight timeline.

The details

Penn State signed only two high school recruits in December before hiring Campbell away from Iowa State. That left Campbell busy trying to put together a 15-player freshman class, with many of them originally committed to Iowa State before following him to Penn State. The Nittany Lions also added over three dozen transfers, mostly from Iowa State. One of the top former Iowa State recruits to end up at Penn State is edge rusher Elijah Reeder, who can team up with December signee Jackson Ford to give Penn State a pair of promising pass-rushers.

  • Penn State signed only two high school recruits during the December signing period.
  • Penn State hired Matt Campbell away from Iowa State after the December signing period.
  • Campbell had to quickly assemble a 15-player recruiting class for Penn State in February.

The players

Matt Campbell

The new head coach of the Penn State football team, hired away from Iowa State.

Elijah Reeder

An edge rusher who was originally committed to Iowa State before following Matt Campbell to Penn State.

Jackson Ford

A December signee who will team up with Elijah Reeder to give Penn State a pair of promising pass-rushing prospects.

Dylan Berymon

An edge rusher who remained uncommitted heading into the February signing period before announcing he will play for Nebraska.

Teddy Jarrard

A quarterback who reclassified from the 2027 class to sign with Notre Dame in February, where he will compete to be the backup to returning starter CJ Carr.

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What they’re saying

“The last two months has been a whirlwind in a multitude of different ways.”

— Matt Campbell, Penn State Head Coach

“Big, powerful, strong kid. Just want to continue to see him keep his motor up, keep the weight down, but he's a guy Nebraska's very excited about.”

— Tom Loy, National Recruiting Analyst, 247Sports

“You look at the size, the frame, the mechanics, there's a lot to like about Teddy Jarrard. I think he's the most likely next-up option after CJ Carr.”

— Tom Loy, National Recruiting Analyst, 247Sports

What’s next

Penn State will look to continue building its roster through the transfer portal as Campbell works to put his stamp on the program.

The takeaway

The February signing period has become an afterthought for most major college football programs, but it was an active time for new Penn State coach Matt Campbell as he worked quickly to assemble a recruiting class after being hired late in the cycle. Campbell's ability to bring in transfers, especially from his former school Iowa State, will be crucial as he looks to turn around the Nittany Lions.