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Penn State Football Roster Update Includes Major Position Switch

The Nittany Lions also released jersey numbers for their new roster under Matt Campbell.
Mark Wogenrich|
Penn State linebacker LaVar Arrington II during the 2025 Blue-White Game at Beaver Stadium.
Penn State linebacker LaVar Arrington II during the 2025 Blue-White Game at Beaver Stadium. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State has released its latest football roster update that includes some changes ahead of spring practice. The program also announced jersey numbers for the 55 new Nittany Lions, including 24 from Iowa State.

Here's what we noticed from the roster update. The Nittany Lions open spring practice in late March, with Blue-White weekend scheduled for April 25.

LaVar Arrington II has a new position

Penn State linebacker LaVar Arrington II during the 205 Blue-White Game at Beaver Stadium.
Penn State linebacker LaVar Arrington II during the 205 Blue-White Game at Beaver Stadium. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Penn State made official what has been a conversation point during the offseason. LaVar Arrington II will move from linebacker to defensive end as a sophomore. It's a significant move that could get the 6-3, 220-pound Arrington onto the field defensively soon.

Arrington, son of the legendary Penn State linebacker, agreed to burn his redshirt last season by playing seven games on special teams. He was a 4-star linebacker prospect at Charter Oak (California) High, according to the 247Sports Composite, who graduated early and enrolled at Penn State in January 2025 with his sister Laila. Their father, the Nittany Lions' College Football Hall of Fame linebacker, said both kids chose Penn State independently of he and his wife Trishia.

"I'm so beyond humbled by them wanting to go there and continue to build our legacy," LaVar Arrington said in a 2024 interview.

Arrington earned growing trust from the former Penn State staff over the course of last season, enough to become a special teams starter. He will continue to wear the No. 11 that his father popularized at Penn State.

"LaVar is a super-talented young man, and we’ve had a lotta discussions about him," former Penn State coach James Franklin said early in the season. "He could help us right now on special teams. What we struggle with is, we get four games with those guys [to play before using their redshirt], and we want to make sure we're using those wisely. Late in the season I think he's going to have a chance to maybe help on defense and special teams, so we're building toward that."

In another position change, former offensive lineman Caleb Brewer is listed as a defensive lineman. The 6-4, 302-pound Brewer did not get any offensive snaps last season and will join a defensive line that coordinator D'Anton Lynn has said will feature larger tackles. Brewer was a 3-star interior lineman at Wyomissing High.

Introducing the new Nittany Lions

Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell celebrates with quarterback Rocco Becht after he scores a touchdown.
Iowa State Cyclones head coach Matt Campbell celebrates with quarterback Rocco Becht (3) after he scores a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first half at Nippert Stadium. | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Quarterback Rocco Becht will wear wear a familiar jersey number, as will many of the former Iowa State Cyclones who followed Matt Campbell to Penn State. The Nittany Lions' projected starting quarterback will wear No. 3 as he did at Iowa State.

It's unclear how much fans will see of Becht this spring, as he continues to recover from offseason shoulder surgery. Becht did say he expects to be on the field during the second half of spring drills.

Fellow transfer quarterback Alex Manske will wear No. 7, the same as he did at Iowa State, while newcomers Kase Evans (12), Peyton Falzone (14) and Connor Barry (17) round out the scholarship room.

Quinton Martin Jr., who had a breakout game for Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl, retains his No. 25, as does fellow returning back Cam Wallace, who wore No. 26 last season.

That means a number switch for running back Carson Hansen, the Cyclones' leading rusher last season. Hansen, who wore No. 26 at Iowa State, will shift to No. 21. Ohio State transfer back James Peoples will wear No. 23 for Penn State.

At receiver, Iowa State transfer Chase Sowell will retain his jersey No. 0, while former teammate Brett Eskildsen will switch from 4 to No. 9. Eskildsen and Sowell were Becht's top two receivers at Iowa State last season, combining for 62 catches for 1,026 yards and seven touchdowns.

Tight end Benjamin Brahmer also will keep the No. 18 he wore at Iowa State last season, when he caught 37 passes for 446 yards. It will be easy to distinguish him from returning tight end Andrew Rappleyea, who retains his No. 87.

Here's a look at Penn State's linemen numbers. Two newcomers to watch are UCLA transfers Siale Taupaki and Keanu Williams, two veterans who played for Lynn. Taupaki is entering his eighth season of college football.

And here's a look at Penn State's linebackers and defensive backs. At linebacker, Kooper Ebel, Caleb Bacon, Cael Brezina and Kooper Ebel all transferred from Iowa State.

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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is the editor and publisher of Penn State on SI, the site for Nittany Lions sports on the Sports Illustrated network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs, three Rose Bowls and one College Football Playoff appearance.

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