owa State Safety Marcus Neal Jr., a top transfer portal target who could follow new head coach Matt Campbell to Penn State Football.(Mandatory Credit: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO via Imagn Images)
Penn State Football has it’s next head coach, Matt Campbell. Pat Kraft has elected to go with a sitting college football head coach. There are pros and cons to that of course, but one pro is that Campbell can bring some players with him to Penn State.
The Nittany Lions will need a lot of bodies to fill the roster next season.
Campbell can bring some players with him. Breece Hall and Brock Purdy won’t be walking in the door with him, but Campbell has some intriguing players.
The Transfer Portal: Campbell’s First Roster Priority at Penn State
Target 1: Marcus Neal Jr., Blue-Chip Safety
The name that instantly jumped out, was Sophomore Safety, Marcus Neal Jr.
Neal is from Missouri originally and is one of Iowa State’s few blue-chip players.
Coming out of high school, Neal was the 9th-rated player in Missouri and chose Iowa State over Kansas State and a few others.
Neal’s career at Iowa State has been uber productive. This season, he was the Cyclones’ leading tackler with 77 total tackles. He’s also logged a sack, a forced fumble, and two interceptions.
Neal is someone who could easily plug and play from the Big 12 to the Big Ten
Target 2: Alex Manske, Quarterback of the Future
Manske is an interesting player who could come with Campbell.
Manske was one of the Cyclones’ top recruits of all time.
He chose the Cyclones over a few Big Ten teams and several other suitors.
One thing that could go against Campbell’s efforts to bring him to State College is the fact that Manske is from Iowa. Regardless, Manske could be Penn State’s future at Quarterback.
Right now, Manske is the backup to Rocco Becht. Becht had a good sophomore season, but has been up and down in 2025.
That could be a sign that Campbell would elect to attatch his wagon to Manske for the future. The word on Manske is that he is pretty raw, but is a good athlete and has good tools. Manske would be boom or bust at Penn State.
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Target 3: Carson Hansen, Physical Leading Rusher
Iowa State’s leading rusher, Carson Hansen makes sense to finish his career in State College. Hansen has slightly out-carried Abu Sama in the Cyclones’ backfield.
Both have had good years, Hansen rushed for 950 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Originally from Minnesota, Hansen is a name to circle. He could return to Big Ten country, take a shot in a big-time program like Penn State, and make a run at the NFL. Plus, it makes sense for Campbell to bring him to Penn State to help establish his offensive identity. Hansen is a name to watch.
‘Matt Campbell’s ‘Five-Star Culture’ Aligns Perfectly with Penn States ‘Success with Honor’
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Ian Purdy covers Penn State Football Recruiting for NittanyCentral.
Purdy was born and raised in central Ohio and served for four years writing for his high school's newsletter. Currently studying Biblical Studies at Lancaster Bible College in Pennsylvania, Ian has been a lifelong Nittany Lion fan.
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