Ranking the Top 5 Positions Penn State Could Pursue in the Spring Transfer Portal
The spring transfer portal window opens Wednesday, although there is already plenty of activity across the country before the portal officially opens, including for Penn State Football.
With Penn State’s roster substantially intact, due to heavy retention efforts in the spring transfer window and NFL Draft declarations, Penn State head coach James Franklin could still look for a few players to fill out the Nittany Lions‘ roster for next season.
Five Positions Penn State Football Could Target in the Transfer Portal
No. 1. – Wide Receiver
As expected, Penn State’s top priority in the transfer portal this spring will be wide receiver.
Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft confirmed this in February during a press conference, noting “We all know we need wide receiver help, so we gotta go find one. I think we have some really good ones in the building, but everyone knows, it’s not some secret. So you go find that.”
If any wide receivers with experience pop into the portal this spring, expect Penn State to make a strong push to add at least one more this offseason.
No. 2 – Defensive Tackle
Last week, James Franklin said that Penn State felt confident in three defensive tackles at the moment, Zane Durant, Alonzo Ford, and Xavier Gilliam. Behind them, however, Penn State does not have proven depth with Dvon J. Thomas and Coziah Izzard moving on to the NFL draft after exhausting their eligibility.
Penn State has plenty of young talent in the room, but could certainly add a proven veteran to the room if a defensive tackle is available.
No. 3- Linebacker
Linebacker is another position where Penn State lacks proven depth on the roster, or even at the third starting position.
Last season, Penn State did not rotate linebackers after getting into Big Ten play, relying on the top three linebackers Tony Rojas, Dom Deluca, and Kobe King and using five defensive back sets to offset the lack of depth at linebacker. With King opting to forgo his final season of eligibility and declare for the NFL draft.
According to Franklin, Ta’Mere Robinson is standing out this spring, potentially signaling Penn State’s confidence in at least a third linebacker, but Franklin and the Nittany Lions could certainly pursue a veteran at the position in the spring portal window.
No. 4 – Safety
Penn State lost its top two safeties this offseason, with veterans KJ Winston and Jaylen Reed declaring for the NFL draft.
Zakee Wheatley stepped up for Penn State after Winston was injured in Week 2 last season, starting 14 games for the Nittany Lions in 2024.
However, beside Wheatley, there is a major lack of proven depth at safety as well heading into 2025. DeJuan Lane played a number of snaps in 2024, acting as Penn State’s third safety and King Mack’s return from Alabama certainly helps, but Penn State could add another veteran to the safety room if one pops up in the portal.
No. 5 – Defensive End
Penn State looked set at defensive end at the beginning of the offseason, getting Dani Dennis-Sutton back for one final season and bringing Enai White in through the winter transfer portal window.
However, after veteran Smith Vilbert entered the transfer portal and Amin Vanover had his petition for another season of eligibility denied, Penn State could use another veteran at defensive end. I have this on the bottom of the list because of some high potential, young talent at the position heading into 2025 in Max Granville, Jaylen Harvery, and Yvan Kemajou.
Penn State will also hope that injury concerns are behind both Zuriah Fisher and Enai White and both can take advantage of their potential this season.
The Nittany Lions should be expected to focus mainly on roster retention once again during the spring transfer portal window.
However, if Penn State can add a few players at these positions, it could go a long way to making sure their roster is ready for another long season with another potential deep playoff run.
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