Notre Dame Makes Surprising Play for Penn State 2027 Commit Khalil Taylor—Could This Spark a Shocking Flip?

When it comes to college football recruiting, the battle lines between Notre Dame and Penn State have never been clearer—or more intense. Sure, the Irish’s recent College Football Playoff semifinal triumph over the Nittany Lions added fuel to their rivalry, but the turf war has spilled over into the recruitment arena. Notre Dame’s aggressive offseason moves, including poaching Penn State’s running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider, and securing commitments from top in-state talents like Grayson McKeogh and Tyler Merrill, reveal a program hell-bent on shaking up the traditional recruiting strongholds. Now, they’ve set their sights on Khalil Taylor, a standout 2027 wide receiver currently pledged to Penn State. At 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, and ranked 72nd nationally by the 247Sports Composite, Taylor represents a prized target. While he’s firmly committed to the Nittany Lions, Notre Dame’s growing momentum in Pennsylvania makes flipping him a tantalizing prospect—and this recruitment saga is shaping up to be a captivating watch for anyone tracking the talent wars in college football.

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AI-assisted summary
• Khalil Taylor, a highly-ranked 2027 wide receiver recruit, is currently committed to Penn State, but Notre Dame is attempting to sway him.

There is a rivalry brewing between Notre Dame and Penn State, and it doesn’t just stem from the Irish’s College Football Playoff semifinal victory.The 5-foot, 11-inch and 180-pounder committed to PSU at the end of March, but that isn’t stopping Notre Dame from trying to flip him. Taylor is ranked as the No. 72 overall player in his class by the 247Sports Composite, showing that he’s one of the best in the cycle.With the momentum that the Irish have recruiting the state of Pennsylvania, McKeogh and Tyler Merrill committed in the 2026 class, you can’t discount Notre Dame from potentially flipping Taylor. This is a recruitment to watch, especially if he makes it to South Bend in the near future.

In the off-season, Notre Dame took the Nittany Lions running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider at the same position, and have been working on recruits like safety Joey O’Brien and cornerback Khary Adams. They’ve also have had success in landing Pennsylvania offensive tackle Grayson McKeogh on Wednesday. Then on Thursday, the Irish put their hat into the ring for 2027 Penn State commit Khalil Taylor, a 2027 wide receiver.