With the portal opening January 2, Rocco Becht and Nick Marsh represent "Plan A" for Matt Campbell's 2026 offense. (Mandatory Credit: Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images)
Penn State Football is only four days away from its final matchup of the 2025 season against Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl Saturday. However, with a new coaching regime kicking off, roster retention in full focus, and the transfer portal looming, many Penn State fans eyes have already been on 2026.
Five Penn State players have already been announced as intending to enter the transfer portal when it opens on January 2nd, and there will likely be quite a few more that announce after the Nittany Lions‘ bowl game.
The Portal Blueprint: Matt Campbell’s Vision for 2026
With plenty of players around the country also announcing their intentions to enter the transfer portal, it seems fitting to take an early look at a few players that Penn State and head coach Matt Campbell might target once the portal opens next week. Here are five early potential targets for Penn State.
Quarterback Rocco Becht: The Ultimate “Coach on the Field”
After two and a half seasons with Drew Allar under center, the Nittany Lions will be looking to find a new season-opening starter for 2026. This quarterback could absolutely already be on the roster in Ethan Grunkemeyer, who has performed admirably over the past six games taking over for Allar.
However, Campbell’s history with Rocco Becht over the past four seasons is too intriguing to not place Becht on this list.
Becht has played in 42 games over the past four years under Campbell and thrown for 9,274 yards and 64 touchdowns in Campbell and now Penn State offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser’s offense.
With Campbell, Mouser, and former Iowa State quarterbacks coach Jake Waters all heading to State College in 2026, Becht could provide the Nittany Lions with a talented quarterback who knows the offense and culture that Campbell and staff want to implement.
Wide Receiver Nick Marsh: A 4-Star “X” Factor for Noah Pauley
Michigan State wide receiver Nick Marsh announced his intention to enter the transfer portal at the end of the Spartans regular season and is one of the most talented receivers available in the transfer portal as of late December.
Penn State played a large part in Marsh’s initial recruitment under former head coach James Franklin and new Penn State receiver’s coach Noah Pauley has a great reputation of putting transfer portal receivers into the NFL.
At Michigan State, Marsh has racked up over 1,300 yards receiving and nine touchdowns over 23 career games. With many of Penn State’s class of 2022 heading to the NFL after this season, Campbell and the Penn State staff will have plenty of NIL money to work with in the transfer portal.
Marsh will certainly command a big payday, but could be a gamechanger for Penn State’s offense if Pauley and Campbell can get his commitment.
Secondary Reinforcements: Jontez Williams and Jeremiah Cooper
Another former Iowa State Cyclone that played under Campbell the past four seasons, Jontez Williams is ranked as one of the top defensive backs in the transfer portal so far this offseason.
Over 32 career games with the Cyclones, Williams accumulated 67 tackles, five interceptions, and 3.5 tackles for a loss. Penn State has already lost two cornerbacks, Elliot Washington and AJ Harris, to the transfer portal this offseason and could use a talented veteran at the position.
Another veteran defensive back from Matt Campbell’s Iowa State team, Jeremiah Cooper, could be a good transfer portal target for Penn State this offseason. Penn State is set to lose Zakee Wheatley to the NFL, opening a starting safety spot on Penn State’s roster heading into 2026.
Cooper started for three seasons at safety for the Cyclones, but missed the final eight games of the 2025 season with a knee injury. In four seasons with the Cyclones, Cooper recorded 134 tackles, eight interceptions, 4.5 tackles for a loss, and a defensive touchdown.
Cooper earned All-Big 12 first-team honors in 2023 and would be another talented veteran that Penn State could bring from Ames to Happy Valley. Cooper’s defensive backs coach Deon Broomfield has already joined Matt Campbell’s staff at Penn State.
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The Homegrown Spark: Why Jahiem White Fits the PSU Identity
West Virginia running back Jahiem White would make sense as a regional target for Penn State out of the transfer portal this offseason.
While White is only ranked as the 17th best running back in the transfer portal as of December 23, his career production at West Virginia has been intriguing enough for Penn State to take a look at. With Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen’s historic careers ending for the Nittany Lions, White would give Penn State a veteran with plenty of experience heading into 2026.
White has accumulated 1,819 yards and 14 touchdowns over 27 career games for the Mountaineers. The running backs behind Singleton and Allen on Penn State’s roster have only combined for a career 283 yards the past two seasons.
Over the next week before the transfer portal opens, there will surely be plenty of additional players that enter the transfer portal that Penn State will target to fill out the Nittany Lions’ 2026 roster. There will also likely be quite a few Penn State players that will enter the transfer portal after the 2025 season wraps up Saturday in NYC.
3 Must-Have Recruits for Matt Campbell’s First Penn State Class in 2026
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- 5 Elite Transfer Targets Matt Campbell Must Land for Penn State in 2026 - December 24, 2025
- Rocco Becht Enters Transfer Portal, Will he Follow Campbell to Penn State? - December 20, 2025
- Penn State Targeting D’Anton Lynn for defensive coordinator, per Report - December 18, 2025
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