New Penn State tight end Benjamin Brahmer brings System Familiarity: Brahmer brings 75 career catches and a deep understanding of Matt Campbell’s culture to Happy Valley.
Penn State Football received its first transfer portal commitment on Saturday, one day after the transfer portal opened, in former Iowa State tight end Benjamin Brahmer.
While Brahmer was seen as a Penn State lean due to the ties with Penn State head coach Matt Campbell and new Nittany Lions‘ offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser, his commitment gives Penn State an experienced and productive immediate starter for the Nittany Lions’ 2026 offense that already knows the system and culture Campbell wants to build in Happy Valley.
The Impact of Benjamin Brahmer: More Than Just a Transfer
Brahmer should be a leader on the offense this season for the Nittany Lions and a productive tight end in 2026. Here are three things to know about Penn State’s newest tight end.
The “One-Year Rental” Strategy: Experience Over Longevity
Brahmer is a piece for 2026, not beyond.
Penn State’s newest tight end comes with plenty of experience, however, in college, that comes with the tradeoff of less eligibility.
Brahmer played three seasons for Campbell at Iowa State before his transfer to Penn State, giving him one season left of eligibility in 2026.
Penn State will take this, however, as his experience over three seasons in Ames will pay dividends for the Nittany Lions this season. In his career, Brahmer recorded 75 receptions, 977 yards, and nine touchdowns in 33 career games.
The Mouser Masterclass: Why 2026 is the Year of the Tight End
While Brahmer will be a large part of Penn State’s offense in 2026, this will not preclude other Penn State tight ends from seeing the field.
During the 2025 season at Iowa State, Mouser utilized five total tight ends in the offense. Two of the top four pass catches were also tight ends, with Brahmer catching 37 passes and fellow tight end Gabe Burkle catching 26 passes.
Expect Andrew Rappleyea, who announced his return to Penn State earlier this week, to be on the field plenty with Brahmer next season.
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Decorated Pedigree: From Freshman All-American to Big Ten Contender
Penn State’s newest tight end comes to Happy Valley with high accolades from his time at Iowa State. During his three seasons in Ames, Brahmer collected plenty of awards and accomplishments. In 2023, Brahmer was selected as a first-team freshman All-American by the Athletic and a true freshmen All-American by 247Sports.
Brahmer was also selected as an honorable mention on the Big 12 all-conference team in 2023 and 2024 before being selected on the second-team All-Big 12 team in 2025.
Replacing Production: Filling the Gap in the Nittany Lion Room
Benjamin Brahmer will certainly be a name to know before Penn State kicks off the 2026 season. If everything works according to plan for Campbell and Mouser, Brahmer will play a large role in Happy Valley in his final season of eligibility.
BREAKING: Penn State Lands Iowa State Transfer Safety Marcus Neal Jr. as Big Transfer Portal Win
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- The ‘Mouser Blueprint’: 3 Ways Benjamin Brahmer Transforms Penn State’s 2026 Offense - January 5, 2026
- BREAKING: Penn State Lands Iowa State Transfer Safety Marcus Neal Jr. as Big Transfer Portal Win - January 4, 2026
- Penn State Transfer Portal: Ikaika Malloe and D’Anton Lynn Target “Bigger Bodied” DTs for 2026 - January 3, 2026
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