Penn State Football quarterback Rocco Becht has high expectations for Matt Campbell, in Happy Valley. (Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images)
Penn State Football has been uncharacteristically active in the transfer portal. Obviously, this has to do with the coaching change. Going from James Franklin to Matt Campbell has proved to bring a lot of roster turnover with it.
Currently, Penn State has added 32 players via the transfer portal.
With just three more days left for players to enter the portal, here are the Nittany Lions‘ transfer portal superlatives.
The Matt Campbell Revolution: 2026 Portal Superlatives
Best Addition Overall: S Marcus Neal Jr.
Probably the best overall addition to the Nittany Lions roster is Safety Marcus Neal Jr.
Neal is a true sophomore who will have two years in the Blue and White.
As a Cyclone, Neal Jr. led the team in tackles in 2025. With 77 tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, two interceptions, a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery, he was an absolute force on defense.
Marcus Neal Jr. is ranked as the ninth-best Safety in the portal.
That’s probably a tad bit underrated too. Neal Jr. is one of the best Safeties in the country and a truly talented player. He will anchor Penn State’s defensive backfield.
Overall, Marcus Neal Jr. is the best player Penn State has added.
Most Impactful: QB Rocco Becht
The most impactful transfer is pretty clear. Quarterback Rocco Becht will have a strong say in how the 2026 season goes for Campbell.
Obviously, quarterback is the most important position on the field.
Becht is a proven talent, but his performance in Big Ten play will almost directly correlate to how well Penn State’s season goes.
If Becht is a top-three quarterback in the Big Ten, Penn State probably had a very good season. If Becht struggles and is a middle-of-the-road quarterback in the Big Ten, Penn State probably had an average season.
Becht has already thrown for nearly 10,000 yards and 64 touchdowns over his three-year career. He will be the single most impactful transfer of the Nittany Lions 2026 transfers.
The Ceiling and the Sleeper: Sowell and McPherson
Highest Ceiling: WR Chase Sowell
Chase Sowell has a very high ceiling.
The former Cyclone had a pretty good year in Ames last season.
The Texas native reeled in 32 catches for 500 yards and two touchdowns in his first year in Ames. However, Sowell struggled with drops.
At 6’3, Sowell has all of the tools to be an elite wideout. The question is, can Sowell put it all together for a dominant season?
There’s no doubt that Sowell is a very high quality receiver as is.
But, his ceiling is astronomically high if he can reduce drops, and become the feature of the passing offense for Taylor Mouser in 2026. If things go right, Sowell could become Penn State’s best Wide Receiver since Parker Washington in 2022.
Biggest Transfer Portal Recruiting Win: OL Brock Riker
One of, if not the only major recruiting battle that Penn State has won in the portal is for Offensive Lineman Brock Riker.
Riker had a standout freshman season at Texas State.
Playing Center, he earned freshman all american honors. Additionally, Riker was coveted by programs like Alabama, Oklahoma, and several others. Getting Brock Riker to transfer to Penn State is a huge feather in Matt Campbell’s cap.
Won’t See in 2026, but Could Break out in 2027: CB Ibn McDaniels
Syracuse transfer, Ibn McDaniels is a great candidate to break out in 2027. Quarterback Alex Manske is another potential breakout candidate, but I went with McDaniels instead.
The 6-foot-3 Cornerback played a lot of special teams at Syracuse in the last two years. He has good size and pretty good athletic ability. I would anticipate McDaniels factoring into Justin Lustig’s special team unit in 2026.
But, with Daryus Dixson, Zion Tracy, and Audavion Collins returning at Cornerback in 2026, I would be surprised to see McDaniels play much in 2026. When Tracy and Collins move on though, McDaniels could develop into a starting Cornerback in 2027.
Biggest Retention from Penn State’s Roster: LB Tony Rojas
Campbell and new Linebacker coach, Tyson Veidt secured a huge asset in keeping Tony Rojas in Happy Valley for 2026.
Rojas dominated the early part of 2025 before missing the rest of the season with an injury. After it looked like he might go to the transfer portal, Matt Campbell was able to convince him to stay at Penn State.
Rojas will likely be the primary Linebacker for Penn State in 2026. He is an uber talented player and a massive roster retention win for Matt Campbell.
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NFL Draft Combine Freak: DL Keanu Williams
Former UCLA and Oregon transfer Defensive Lineman, Keanu Williams, is a beast.
Williams checks in at six foot five, 320 pounds. Williams is a veteran player who will have one year with Penn State. He played a lot in 2025 and projects as one of Ikaika Malloe’s top Defensive Linemen.
As far as measurables go, Williams is a freak.
Williams’ large stature and frame at Defensive Tackle stands out. He is someone who will kill it at the NFL Draft Combine from a measurables standpoint. On top of that, Williams should factor into the Penn State defense in 2026.
Most Underrated Pickup: DE Alexander McPherson
One name that seems to be flying under the radar is Alexander McPherson.
The Colorado transfer Edge Rusher saw a ton of action in his freshman season and will have three years of eligibility left.
His name seems to have flown under the radar. His commitment was overshadowed by James Peoples commitment later that evening. But, Penn State is getting a quality Defensive End in McPherson.
McPherson logged 15 tackles in his freshman campaign and is a very underrated pickup for the Nittany Lions.
Transfer Everyone Doubts (But Shouldn’t): S Chris Fileppo
One transfer portal pickup that has some fans murmuring is Chris Fileppo. Fileppo is a Pennsylvania product who will transfer in from West Virginia.
As a freshman, Fileppo recorded 12 total tackles and started one game for the Mountaineers.
Fileppo is doubted because he is a quiet player. He was injured for his senior year at LaSalle College High School and went to Morgantown from there.
Obviously, he had a solid freshman year and looks to continue to grow as a Nittany Lion. Plus, Fileppo might move down to Linebacker and play there.
Chris Fileppo brings versatility and potential to Penn State.
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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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