Penn State Football head Coach Campbell vows to use the portal to accelerate the Nittany Lions roster overhaul. Who is his first call?(Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images)
The Penn State Football transfer portal class is set to keep growing. Iowa State transfer Running Back Carson Hansen has committed to Penn State. Hansen will have one year of eligibility left.
Hansen is a talented Running Back out of Minnesota. He is a beefy, 6-2, 220 pounds. As a prospect he was under recruited, but quickly became productive with the Cyclones.
Over 1,500 Career Yards: What Hansen Brings to the Table
During Hansen’s time in Ames he compiled 1,771 rushing yards on 361 carries and 19 touchdowns. Hansen’s most productive season came in 2025 when he gained 952 yards on the ground and scored 6 touchdowns. Those numbers were good for 5.1 yards per carry, making him Iowa State’s leading rusher.
As far as style goes, Hansen is a physical, downhill runner. He has really good burst, but doesn’t necessarily have breakaway speed. He’s a very solid Running Back.
Another thing worth mentioning is that Carson Hansen is familiar with splitting carries. Last season, Hansen carried the rock 188 times and Abu Sama carried it 140 times. I would envision a very similar distribution of carries with Hansen and Quinton Martin.
Penn State is getting a very proven, and productive Running Back in Carson Hansen. He should pair very nicely with current Nittany Lion, Quinton Martin.
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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