Will Penn State Football Be a Player in the Spring Transfer Portal Window?

The transfer portal reopens April 16, just as Penn State begins the stretch run to the Blue-White Game. James Franklin and the Nittany Lions must navigate both.

Penn State football coach James Franklin watches during Penn State's Pro Day at Holuba Hall. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

James Franklin schedules Penn State's football calendar, from winter workouts to playoff practices, with relentless consistency. Which is what makes the next two weeks so fascinating.

Penn State concludes spring football drills with a concurrent eye on the NCAA Transfer Portal, which opens April 16. The portal will remain open for 10 days, riding straight up to the Blue-White Game on April 26 at Beaver Stadium. And it will upset that consistency.

"It's crazy," Franklin said before Penn State began spring practie. "It's like having the transfer portal

open during the playoffs. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense, right?"

So, what to expect from Penn State in the transfer portal? Here's a primer.

More players will transfer from Penn State than to Penn State

Penn State likely will have more outbound movement than inbound during the spring portal window. The Nittany Lions currently have 119 players on their roster, with 11 members of the 2025 recruiting class still to arrive.

Pending a settlement in the House vs. NCAA lawsuit, Penn State will have to reduce its roster to 105 by August (though the roster limit remains uncertain). Franklin has chosen not to begin reducing Penn State's roster size this spring, a decision that could prove helpful if the roster limit is expanded or the requirement is paused. A revised agreement filed April 14 did not include changes to the roster limits.

Nevertheless, more Penn State players will enter the portal than those who will join the program. For example: Offensive lineman JB Nelson was removed from the roster last week and is expected to enter the portal. With a starting spot not secured, Nelson will look to play elsewhere.

That theme likely will continue throughout the Penn State roster, as players who aren't on the depth chart will seek other opportunities.

What happens at running back?

Penn State has eight running backs on the roster, six of whom are on scholarship. A seventh scholarship running back, Jabree Wallace-Coleman, will enroll after spring practice. That's a crowded room, particularly with Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen clearly atop the depth chart.

Penn State has proven in the past that injuries and attrition can shorten backfields quickly. And Franklin has said he plans to play three backs this season, a decision that will be enhanced by the twin-back usage of Singleton and Allen.

But seven scholarship running backs, five of whom are at least in their second years, is a big room. It would not be surprising to see at least one, and perhaps two, enter the portal.

Inbound positions to watch

Penn State's recruiting staff likely is evaluating potential transfers at defensive tackle and safety. The Nittany Lions have talent at both positions, but it's raw and lacking snap counts. Penn State is in the market for potential plug-and-play starters at both spots.

Franklin has said that defensive tackle, behind Zane Durant and Alonzo Ford Jr., will be "very, very competitive," but Penn State won't be shy about adding to the competition. At safety, King Mack returned to Penn State after spending last season at Alabama. When healthy, he's likely to be the primary contender to start alongside Zakee Wheatley.

But the Nittany Lions are in win-now mode, and those two positions represent places they can make quick portal moves.

Could Penn State go back to the portal for a receiver?

It's possible and something that Penn State Athletic Director Pat Kraft even suggested before spring practice began.

"We all know we need wide receiver help, so we got to go find one," Kraft said in February. "I think we have some really good ones in the building, but everyone draws that process. If you can come and help us win and do great things and bring that and maintain the culture here, then great."

Devonte Ross and Kyron Hudson, the receivers Penn State signed from the portal during the offseason, have been drawing plenty of praise during spring practice. The portal is loaded with receivers, and more will enter this week. But Penn State is quite unlikely to find, and pay, a clear No. 1. If anything, the Nittany Lions could pursue a receiver who brings specific traits (size, speed, range, etc.) to an offense whose coordinator Andy Kotelnicki knows how to deploy talent.

Will there be any portal surprises?

It's possible, though Penn State largely has been able to retain starting talent and keep its drama in-house. Franklin avoids messy public breakups like the one between quarterback Nico Iamaleava and Tennessee. Even Penn State's surprises, like quarterback Beau Pribula leaving before the first playoff game, come with explanations.

"We've got problems in college football," Franklin said in December. "And I can give you my word, Beau Pribula did not want to leave our program and he did not want to leave our program until the end of the season. But the way the portal is and the timing of it and the way our team is playing — and when you play the position of quarterback and there's only one spot and those spots are filling up — he felt like he was put in a no-win situation, and I agree with him."

Perhaps the most interesting 10 days of Penn State spring practice in years begin April 16.