Penn State gets walk-on commitment from State College receiver Hank Lustig

As the son of a Penn State football assistant coach, State College (Pa.) Area slot receiver Hank Lustig was well-versed in what the Nittany Lions have to offer well before the program presented him with a preferred walk-on opportunity last week. That’s why it didn’t take long for Lustig to make the call on his next home. On Thursday, he announced that he would be continuing his football career across town with the Nittany Lions. 

Lustig moved to State College from Tennessee when his father, Penn State Special Teams Coordinator Justin Lustig, joined James Franklin’s staff from Vanderbilt ahead of the 2024 season. The elder Lustig was retained by new Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell earlier this month and will get a chance to watch his son begin his college career up close. 

“Ultimately, my decision to commit came down to the culture at Penn State,” Hank Lustig told BWI. “After meeting coach Campbell and the rest of the staff, telling me their vision for the program, I was completely bought in and wanted to be a part of something special that they are building at PSU. Obviously, me being able to be on the same team with my dad was another factor, as we have never been able to do that before. I’m excited for the future of this program and excited to be a part of something special that is building here.”

Link: Penn State transfer portal window tracker by the numbers

The 5-foot-10, 170-pound prospect played his final two high school seasons with the Little Lions. As a senior in 2025, he earned First-Team All-State honors as a receiver and a Second-Team nod as a return specialist. He earned all-conference honors on both sides of the ball and on special teams. He’ll play in the slot at Penn State, he said. 

Starting at receiver and cornerback in high school, Lustig helped lead State College to a 10-3 record as a senior in 2025. He caught 41 passes for 642 yards and 10 touchdowns in the fall, leading the way on his team in receptions and receiving scores. He finished second on the team in total touchdowns to running back and classmate D’Antae Sheffey, who announced last week that he’ll join the Nittany Lions as well. 

Penn State’s Receiver Situation in 2026

While Lustig has a ways to go to fill out his frame and potentially see the field, Penn State’s wide receiver room will have a different look in Campbell’s first year at the helm. New position coach Noah Pauley will inherit a group that will welcome back just three scholarship wideouts from a year ago in Koby Howard, Peter Gonzalez and Lyrick Samuel. 

Eight new names have been added to the mix this offseason, including a pair of expected starters from Iowa State in senior Chase Sowell and junior Brett Eskildsen. Two additional former Cyclones joined the fray in redshirt freshmen Karon Brookins and Zay Robinson, and the Nittany Lions added former Grambling State receiver Keith Jones Jr. earlier this week. Penn State signed former James Madison signee Ben Whitver out of Virginia and Pottsgrove (Pa.) receiver Deymein Doctor will join Lustig as a preferred walk-on this fall. 

Keep track of Penn State’s busy offseason with the BWI Roster and Transfer Portal Hot Board.