Penn State football flips four-star linebacker Cam Smith from Duke
Penn State football has officially flipped a target in the Class of 2025. Philadelphia (Pa.) St. Joe’s Prep linebacker Cam Smith switched his verbal commitment from Duke to the Nittany Lions on Thursday.
The 6-foot, 205-pound senior has been part of the Blue Devils’ class since February. That decision was a bit of a surprise, however the defender’s longstanding relationship with Manny Diaz, who left the Big Ten to lead the ACC school this offseason, and Duke’s new associate head coach, former PSU analyst Gabe Infante, certainly played a role.
So, too, did the Lions’ linebacker class at the time. Back when Smith picked Duke on Feb. 8, the Lions had commitments at his position from DJ McClary and Alex Tatsch. The former has since flipped to Rutgers. Penn State, however, did also add California three-star linebacker Lavar Arrington II this summer. Penn State also holds a commitment from Dayshaun Burnett, who’s currently rated as a linebacker but is expected to end up at defensive end at the next level. The addition of Smith makes a very strong initial recruiting class for first-year defensive coordinator and position coach Tom Allen.
Smith’s most recent visit to State College was for the Lasch Bash on July 27. It marked his fifth visit to campus and his first time in Happy Valley since the winter. Smith’s visit was kept under wraps until he showed up for the event, but the Nittany Lions renewed the relationship with space available.
“Me and my family liked talking to the coaches and hearing about what they had to offer,” Smith told BWI when asked about the trip. “The area was also beautiful. I talked to Alex Tatsch a bit during the event.”
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He went on to add, “We’ve been talking a lot recently. I feel like things are progressing well and they seem eager to try to bring me on board. They’ve said things such as needing a guy like me and being excited about our process.”
Penn State flipping Smith always felt like a possibility
While the timing with the Nittany Lions wasn’t right when Smith made his initial pledge, it always felt like a possibility that head coach James Franklin, Allen, and the rest of the staff would circle back around to Smith. While behind-the-scenes work went on this offseason, strong mutual interest from both sides culminated with the late July trip for the Lasch Bash.
“A surprise addition to the visitor list at Penn State over the weekend, Cam Smith came to the Lasch Bash and hung out with the Nittany Lions staff despite his commitment to Duke,” BWI publisher Sean Fitz wrote at the time. “Those actions scream interest, and the feedback coming away from the trip was positive in favor of the Nittany Lions. Now, this one isn’t done yet, but Penn State has left the door open and Smith has always had a high interest in the program.”
Smith is the nation’s No. 264 player in the On3 Industry Rankings. He is the the No. 26 linebacker in the cycle. And, he is the eighth-ranked player in Pennsylvania. Penn State now boasts 24 Class of 2025 commitments.
