Penn State commit makes pitch to in-state five-star during weekend visit

Penn State football has already locked down three marquee recruits in the 2027 cycle. This weekend, the Nittany Lions continued to make in-roads with another homegrown talent, hosting five-star Coatesville (PA) lineman Maxwell Hiller.

While Hiller was on campus Saturday, James Franklin and the Penn State coaching staff got a helping hand from one of the program’s early 2027 commitments and a prospective future teammate of Hiller’s along the Nittany Lion offensive front. Taking to social media Saturday afternoon, Appoquinimink (DE) lineman Layton von Brandt subtly suggested that the two elite 2027 recruits could share the Holuba Hall turf much more often in the future.

“The two best 2027 tackles in the country on the same field,” he wrote on X.

The two best 2027 tackles in the country on the same field 💯 @HillerMaxwell …….👀 🤷🏻‍♂️ enjoy the process see you this summer pic.twitter.com/g1BVSBKqL7

— Layton von Brandt🚂 (@LaytonvonBrandt) April 12, 2025

Saturday was Hiller’s ninth visit to Happy Valley. Following his most recent trip for the White Out in November, he picked up a commitment prediction to the Nittany Lions from On3’s Steve Wiltfong. Hiller is currently the top prospect in Pennsylvania and the No. 25 player overall in the 2027 recruiting cycle per the 247Sports Composite.

Von Brandt became the Nittany Lions’ second 2027 commitment last November. Currently the program’s second-highest-ranked commitment in the class, the 247Sports Composite has von Brandt as the No. 42 recruit overall and the No. 1 prospect from Delaware.

Along with the Delaware offensive lineman, Penn State football holds commitments from in-state recruits Kemon Spell and Khalil Taylor. All three prospects are ranked in the top 50 nationally. The Nittany Lions currently have the No. 1 class in 247Sports’ 2027 recruiting class rankings.

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