Penn State football head coach Matt Campbell is getting to work on the recruiting trail. (Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images)
The transfer portal is set to officially open on Friday, Jan 2, with Penn State Football and new head coach Matt Campbell looking to utilize the portal to fill out Penn State’s 2026 roster.
While the Nittany Lions have had their fair share of transfer portal losses this offseason, Campbell and staff have done an impressive job retaining a quality core of players ahead of the 2026 season.
Portal Day 1: The Matt Campbell Era Hits the “Reset” Button
With a decent number of contributors returning for next season, here are five positions that Penn State and Matt Campbell must prioritize in the transfer portal this offseason.
The Quarterback Crisis: Life After Allar and Grunkemeyer
At the end of the season, it was unclear where Penn State would go at quarterback in 2026.
Penn State’s starter to start the season Drew Allar is out of eligibility and will be heading to the NFL after rehabbing from an injury that cost him the second half of the 2025 season.
Ethan Grunkemeyer stepped in admirably for Allar in the Nittany Lions’ final seven games, throwing for 1,339 yards and eight touchdowns while completing 69 percent of his passes.
With three years of eligibility remaining, Grunkemeyer was an intriguing option for Matt Campbell for next season.
However, on Thursday, Grunkemeyer announced he will enter the transfer portal to explore his options for 2026.
Does this mean Matt Campbell will pursue Rocco Becht to play his final season at Penn State?
Could Penn State look elsewhere at quarterback in the transfer portal?
With both Grunkemeyer and fellow quarterback Bekkem Kritza entering the transfer portal and only rising redshirt junior Jaxson Smolilk and true freshmen on the roster at the moment, it is clear that Campbell will need to pursue multiple quarterbacks out of the transfer portal ahead of next season.
Defensive Tackle: Plugging the Massive Hole in the Interior
Defensive tackle is a position that Penn State was relatively thin at in 2025.
Zane Durant, Alonzo Ford, and Xavier Gilliam took most of the snaps at the position this season and with an NFL announcement for Durant and a transfer portal announcement for Gilliam (along with Ford potentially running out of eligibility) there is a great possibility none of those players will return to Penn State in 2026.
There is a massive hole in the starting lineup at the moment for Penn State at defensive tackle that Matt Campbell will need to address in the transfer portal this offseason.
Defensive End: Navigating Penn State’s Mixed Bag of Retention
Penn State’s return and transfer portal announcements have been mixed at defensive end this offseason.
True freshman Chaz Coleman and sixth-year senior Zuriah Fisher announced their intentions to enter the transfer portal ahead of Penn State’s Pinstripe Bowl.
Redshirt freshman Jaylen Harvey also announced this week that he will be entering the transfer portal.
On Thursday, Penn State got a big return in redshirt freshman Max Granville, coming off an injury that cost him the 2025 season.
However, Penn State could use a few more bodies at the position heading into 2026 with Dani Dennis-Sutton heading to the NFL draft.
Buy The Newest Penn State Gear From Fanatics | Shop Penn State Merchandise on Amazon
Veteran Pipeline: Rebuilding Penn State’s Secondary and Backfield
Safety: Seeking the Next Zakee Wheatley
Penn State has had a history of producing high-level safeties that transition well to the NFL.
Zakee Wheatley will be the latest in Penn State’s line of safeties to enter the NFL draft this offseason.
Penn State could benefit from a veteran at the position in the transfer portal ahead of next season. Iowa State’s Marcus Neal Jr. is certainly a name to watch to follow Matt Campbell to Penn State during the transfer portal window.
Running Back: Replacing the Singleton-Allen Legacy
Penn State is set to lose two record-setting running backs this offseason when Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen head to the NFL after four-year careers in Happy Valley.
Behind those two, Penn State has plenty of young, inexperienced talent, but the Nittany Lions could use to bring in a veteran with playing experience ahead of next season.
5 Penn State Pinstripe Bowl Standouts Matt Campbell Must Prioritize Retaining for 2026
Loved this story? Get all our Penn State football coverage and insider updates first. Join our FREE newsletter — your front-row seat to the Lions.
A note to our readers; If you make a purchase through one of our affiliate links, we may receive a commission
- The Transfer Portal is Open: Matt Campbell’s 5-Point Plan to Save Penn State’s 2026 Roster - January 2, 2026
- Raiding Ames: 5 Iowa State Stars Matt Campbell Should Target for Penn State in the Transfer Portal - December 29, 2025
- Penn State Ultimate Transfer Portal Tracker: Departures, Returns, and New Additions - December 29, 2025
About the Author
