Rising 2027 athlete Matthew Gregory made a visit to his home-state program of Penn State this weekend. The Nittany Lions were unexpectedly tested by the Bowling Green Falcons out of the Mid-American Conference on Saturday, but ultimately walked away with a 34-27 victory.
Not only was Gregory able to check out everything that Penn State had to offer in person, but he also left Happy Valley with a scholarship offer from the Nittany Lions. That offer obviously meant a lot to a Pennsylvania product out of Owen J. Roberts High School.
"It felt amazing to get a Penn State offer because Penn State has been a team I’ve always looked at because I'm from Pennsylvania," Gregory told Rivals. "I love Penn State. I love the community and I like how Penn State is a winning football team."
While on the visit, Gregory was able to check out the the lounge area, the locker room and of course the field before watching Penn State take on Bowling Green. He was also able to meet head coach James Franklin and other members of the PSU coaching staff.
Gregory and his family felt right at home while in University Park.
"I loved how the coaches treated me and my family on the visit," Gregory said about Penn State. "They were very welcoming to me there, great people."
Penn State currently has one class of 2027 commit in running back Kemon Spell, who is also a Pennsylvania native.
So far, Gregory has one additional scholarship offer from Syracuse, but that list is certain to grow. Next up, Gregory is looking to lock in visit dates for Pittsburgh and West Virginia this fall.
Early on in his recruitment, Gregory is taking his time, making various trips and building relationships.
"I'm just trying to see what school I like the most by visiting and talking to the coaching staffs," Gregory said.
While Gregory is currently listed as an athlete, he plays both wide receiver and cornerback for the Wildcats. He mentioned that most programs are recruiting him on the offensive side of the ball right now.
At around 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds, Gregory's speed and playmaking ability immediately jump out and it's clear that the coaching staff at Owen J. Roberts puts an emphasis on getting him touches in a variety of ways on the field.
"Schools are mostly recruiting me at wide receiver, but i also play cornerback," Gregory explained. "I'm more of a do-it-all receiver because I can run routes and I can make plays in the short passing game, such as screens and quick throws. Sometimes I run the ball off end arounds and jet sweeps, and because of my speed, I'm always a deep threat. And at corner, I like playing man-to-man (coverage). I like being physical up front and pressing the receiver."
In addition to football, Gregory is a standout track and field athlete. He qualified for the state championships earlier this year in the 100-meter and 200-meter events and earned some impressive accolades.
"I like to run track," Gregory said. "I run a 10.6 (seconds) in the 100 (meters) and a 21.5 (seconds) in the 200 (meters). I competed at states this year for both of these events and was named Penn State Freshman Track Athlete of the Year."
Off the field, Gregory carries a 3.5 grade point average in the classroom.
As a current sophomore, it is obviously still very early in the recruiting process for Gregory, and his current plan is to wait until his junior year to make a commitment decision.
"I think I’d like to commit some time during my junior year after I visit schools and build a relationship with the coaching staff," Gregory explained.
