James Franklin’s Transfer Portal Hit List: 6 Penn State Players He Could Target for Virginia Tech
Former Penn State head coach James Franklin was hired this week as the next head coach at Virginia Tech.
In the transfer portal era, it should be expected that Franklin will at least try to poach some of the talent on Penn State’s roster.
As of Tuesday morning, Franklin was already offering 2026 Penn State recruits on the recruiting trail.
Here are the top five players that Franklin may attempt to woo to Blacksburg with him for the 2026 season.
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Tony Rojas: The Leader Virginia Tech Needs for Its Culture
Rising senior linebacker Tony Rojas would make the most sense for James Franklin to try to woo to Virginia Tech with him this offseason.
Rojas is originally from Virginia, allowing him to play his final season in his home state. Rojas was also emerging as a leader for the Penn State defense on and off the field.
Rojas had accumulated 25 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, and two sacks in four games this season before suffering a season-ending injury.
Rojas would give Franklin a glue guy in the locker room that would help him implement his culture at VT and a leader on the defense on the field.
Amare Campbell: The Newcomer with Loose Ties to Happy Valley
Like Rojas, Campbell originally hails from Virginia and following Franklin to Virginia Tech would allow Campbell to play his final season in his home state.
Campbell was recruited by Franklin out of the transfer portal from North Carolina this offseason and may not have the same ties to the State College area that others on the roster may feel (Rojas included) as well.
Cambell has been a bright spot in the Penn State defense this season, taking on a very large role once Rojas was injured. Campbell has 76 tackles, eight tackles for a loss, and 2.5 sacks over 10 games this season for Penn State.
Matt Outten: A True Freshman Who Was Already a Flip Victory for Franklin
True freshman wide receiver Matt Outten was a major win on the recruiting trail for James Franklin in the 2025 class. Franklin flipped Outten from Virginia Tech and could try to convince him to rethink again this offseason.
While Outten has not played for a snap for Penn State on offense this season, Outten did rank inside the top 200 nationally in the 2025 class and was rated as the number four player in the class from Virginia.
Versatile Offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh
Penn State offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh has now started at both right tackle and right guard for Penn State over the past two seasons. This type of positional versatility would be extremely valuable for James Franklin as he looks to build Virginia Tech’s roster for next season. Donkoh hails from Aldie, Virginia and still has two more seasons of eligibility remaining.
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Offensive lineman Alex Birchmeier Could be a Hokie in Waiting
Offensive lineman Alex Birchmeier is a very intriguing prospect for James Franklin to try to push into the transfer portal.
While Birchmeier has not seen the field much for Penn State over his three seasons on campus, Birchmeier was a top 100 recruit from Virginia in the 2023 class.
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Tight end Matt Henderson
Like Outten, tight end Matt Henderson was a part of the 2025 class that has not seen the field on offense for the Nittany Lions this season.
Henderson was a three-star prospect out of Virginia that ranked as the 24th best tight end in the class per 247Sports.
The Clock Is Ticking: Why Penn State’s Next Hire Must Beat the January 2 Portal Date
The transfer portal officially opens on January 2, 2026.
If Penn State does not have a new head coach in place before January 2, Penn State’s roster will have the chance to enter the portal and look elsewhere.
Whether that is in Blacksburg following Franklin or elsewhere, the next head coach at Penn State will have a lot on their plate to retain as much of the current roster as they want and to fill the holes in the 2026 roster out of the transfer portal. `
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- James Franklin’s Transfer Portal Hit List: 6 Penn State Players He Could Target for Virginia Tech - November 18, 2025
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- 4 Georgia Tech Stars Brent Key Could Bring With Him to Penn State if He’s Hired as Head Coach - November 11, 2025