5 Positions Where Penn State Seeks More Clarity in 2026

Penn State has a very different roster for the 2026 season as compared to last year. With the coaching change to Matt Campbell, the team brought in 55 new players, including 40 transfers, and saw multiple starters depart for the NFL draft.

As such, there are positions where the Nittany Lions will need players to step up for the upcoming season. Here’s a look at five of those positions.

Defensive end

Penn State lost 2025 starters Dani Dennis-Sutton (8.5 sacks) and Zuriah Fisher (two) this offseason, so both spots at defensive end need to be replenished. The Nittany Lions have some returning talent at the position in addition to a pair of transfers.

Redshirt senior Ikenna Ezeogu started 11 games for Iowa State last season and has the most experience of anyone in the position group. His veteran presence could propel him into the No. 1 role, but there are some younger players in the room with potential.

Fellow transfer addition Alexander McPherson came to Happy Valley after a freshman season at Colorado, where he tallied 16 tackles and six quarterback hurries. Sophomore Yvan Kemajou made flashes for Penn State as a freshman as well, posting five tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

There’s also redshirt sophomore Max Granville, who will be back in action after enduring a season-ending injury in 2025. He showed promise in his freshman year, particularly when he saw more playing time in the 2024 Fiesta Bowl against Boise State after Abdul Carter got injured.

Defensive tackle

Continuing on the defensive line, the interior also has some questions. The Nittany Lions added size via the transfer portal to the tackle position, but the depth chart isn’t set in stone yet.

Redshirt sophomore Armstrong Nnodim made headlines in the spring as a standout player during practices. He’s coming off a season at Oklahoma State where he made 11 tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack.

For a starting job, Nnodim will compete with UCLA transfers Siale Taupaki and Keanu Williams, who both have experience under defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn when he was with the Bruins in 2023. Taupaki, an eighth-year player, and Williams, a redshirt senior, both bring veteran leadership to the position, too.

For depth behind the potential starters, Penn State saw Ty Blanding return for his redshirt junior year and made another addition in Utah transfer Dallas Vakalahi. But this group is wide open for someone to emerge.

Backup quarterback

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Connor Barry (17) takes a snap during the Blue-White Spring game at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Rocco Becht is Penn State’s starting quarterback, but if he were to miss time, it’s unclear who would be the backup. Becht wasn’t a full participant in spring practice as he recovered from offseason shoulder surgery, opening the door for others to get some first-team reps.

Division III transfer Connor Barry got most of those reps during spring ball, because Iowa State transfer Alex Manske didn’t practice while recovering from an injury as well. Manske was Becht’s backup with the Cyclones last season, when he also missed spring practice. Campbell expects Manske to be ready for training camp.

But in a young room behind Becht, Barry would be a more-experienced backup as a senior who was a semifinalist in 2025 for the Gagliardi Trophy, which honors the most outstanding player in Division III. Campbell said Barry was among the pleasant surprises of spring practice.

Left tackle

Penn State Nittany Lions offensive linesman Malachi Goodman (78) warms up before the game against the Villanova Wildcats. — Penn State Nittany Lions offensive linesman Malachi Goodman (78) warms up before the game against the Villanova Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

With Drew Shelton off to the NFL, the Nittany Lions will have a new starting left tackle in 2026. There might be a favorite for his replacement.

Despite redshirting last season, Malachi Goodman could earn himself the starting gig. He was a highly rated player coming out of high school, with 247Sports grading him as a 5-star prospect in the 2025 class. Goodman was Penn State’s only 5-star recruit that year.

Goodman finished spring drills as the No. 1 left tackle, with Anthony Donkoh returning to right tackle after starting at guard last season. Behind them, redshirt freshman Owen Aliciene and redshirt sophomore Garrett Sexton will compete for backup roles.

Wide receiver

Toward the end of the James Franklin era, Penn State’s wide receivers were scrutinized for lack of production. The Nittany Lions revamped the room through the portal this offseason, but in-season production needs to improve for the team to shake that narrative under Campbell.

Iowa State transfers Chase Sowell and Brett Eskildsen headline the position with sophomore returnee Koby Howard. Eskilden (526 receiving yards) and Sowell (500) were Iowa State’s most productive receivers last year, while Howard averaged 19 yards per catch for the Nittany Lions.

For depth, Penn State added two more Iowa State transfers in redshirt freshmen Karon Brookins and Zay Robinson. Campbell also raved about true freshman Amarion Jackson, who enrolled in January and made a quick impact at the position.

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