Penn State football legend Saquon Barkley made a shocking offer to the top running back recruit in the Class of 2027. As the Philadelphia Eagles superstar celebrates his first Super Bowl win, the Nittany Lions are locked in on trying to win their first national title since 1986. James Franklin and company came awfully close to breaking that streak last season.

Penn State won two games in the College Football Playoff before losing to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl. The program has produced several elite running backs with Franklin in charge. And the Nittany Lion head coach is now trying to add another talented prospect to one of his future rosters.

Penn State football is targeting Class of 2027 running back recruit CJ Cowley. The No. 1 RB in the country revealed an eye-opening interaction he had with Barkley recently.

“I actually talked to Saquon Barkley a few times about Penn State. It was great; I'm not gonna lie; I was a fanboy talking to one of the best running backs in the world. A Super Bowl running back. Saquon was just like if I go to Penn State, he'll deliver 26 for me — the number. I didn't believe it! The coach says he's not lying. It's one of the coolest moments in my life.”

James Franklin trying to build off success with past Penn State legends 

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin talks with running back Saquon Barkley (26) before the game between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the USC Trojans at Rose Bowl.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Birmingham, Alabama, native is currently considering offers from 20 schools with Auburn being the frontrunner to land him. However, Barkley's bold offer might change Cowley's mind over the next few months. One thing is for sure: Cowley would love to have the career Barkley had in Happy Valley.

Saquon's accomplishments include winning Big Ten MVP two-straight years, being a two-time All-American, and coming away with the Paul Hornung Award for most versatile player. The iconic Penn State football back ended up going No. 2 in the 2018 NFL Draft. After six years with the Giants, Barkley became even more of a legend in the state of Pennsylvania.

The Whitehall, Township native signed with the Philadelphia Eagles and had one of the best seasons by a running back in NFL history. Saquon rushed for 2,005 yards during the regular season and carried this form into the playoffs.

While the superstar RB was largely contained in Super Bowl 59, Kansas City had to stack the box to do this. That significantly opened up the passing offense for Jalen Hurts and company, which was devastating for the Chiefs.

Overall, Saquon continues to help the program that made him a household name. According to ESPN's way-too-early rankings, the Nittany Lions are projected to be the No. 3 team in the country heading into next season.

It's a long way back to the College Football Playoff semifinals, but those are the expectations for Penn State football. And adding CJ Cowley would go a long way toward securing future CFP berths for this historic program.