After last season’s offensive slump and the departure of KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Dante Cephas via the transfer portal, there are growing concerns about James Franklin and wide receiver coach Marques Hagan’s ability to attract and develop talent at the position. Julian Fleming came to Happy Valley via the transfer portal this offseason, but without significant reinforcements in the 2025 recruiting class, the talent in that room could dry up quickly.

Jeff Exinor Jr., an oversized four-star WR/TE hybrid from Maryland, was the best pass-catcher in the 2025 class, and Penn State avoided disaster by signing four-star Koby Howard from Florida after players like Lex Cyrus, Matthew Outten and Quincy Porter fell through. Franklin and Hagans have yet to sign another player in the passing game, however, and it’s clear where they’ve set their sights.

On Wednesday, four-star Florida player Naeshaun Montgomery selected Penn State as one of his six finalists, along with Alabama, Florida, Florida State, LSU and Oregon.

Experts at 247Sports had predicted that the 6-foot-1, 175-pound high school senior would sign in Florida, but some of his recent social media activity suggests he could change his mind and follow Howard, another Florida wide receiver, north to Happy Valley.

Penn State’s 2025 recruiting class recently suffered a setback when running back Kiandrea Barker withdrew his commitment. Franklin and his team were left with 23 players, just two running backs and the 15th best class in the country.

With Exinor and Howard, Penn State’s receiver group is respectable, and if reports out of fall camp are accurate, the Nittany Lions could have a budding star in freshman Tyseer Denmark. These recent developments have greatly alleviated the pressure that was building on Franklin and Hagans, so Montgomery’s signing now would be the icing on the cake.

As the regular season approaches, recruiting players for 2025 is certainly not the coaching staff’s top priority, but they will certainly be watching on August 25 at 5 p.m. ET when Montgomery is scheduled to make his announcement.