Penn State Football Transfer Updates: Analyzing the Nittany Lions' 2026 Roster

Penn State coach Matt Campbell embarks on building a new team team through the transfer portal in January.

Penn State Nittany Lions fans cheer before the White Out game vs. the Oregon Ducks at Beaver Stadium. | James Lang-Imagn Images

Penn State will be among the busier teams, both coming and going, through the hectic two weeks of transfer portal activity in January. Coach Matt Campbell and his staff have to replenish a roster that loses more than 30 seniors and a large collection of players to graduation or the portal.

Campbell has detailed his approach to the portal, which will benefit from a bigger budget at Penn State than he had at Iowa State. Still, the pace will be swift, as Penn State remakes its roster for Campbell's first season.

We're breaking down all the offseason transfer portal activity for the Penn State football program, covering every addition and departure, position-by-position impact, and what it means for the team's future.

Penn State Nittany Lions Staying

Penn State Nittany Lions guard Anthony Donkoh hugs interim head coach Terry Smith as time runs short during the fourth quarter in the game against Michigan State. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This is a key category for Penn State, as it represents the success rate of Campbell's retention program. For instance, quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, who played his best game of the season in the Pinstripe Bowl, has yet to announce his future plans.

Several Nittany Lions have announced plans to return, notably tight end Andrew Rappleyea and offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh. A two-year starter on the line, Donkoh will be Penn State's most experienced returning player. He can play tackle or guard and will be among Penn State's top NFL prospects in 2027.

Meanwhile, Rappleyea announced his return after catching touchdown passes in his last three games, including the Pinstripe Bowl. After missing the 2024 season with an injury, Rappleyea needed time to find his stride but was among Penn State's most important offensive players during the season's second half.

Offensive lineman Cooper Cousins also announced plans to return and likely will be an interior starter next season.

Penn State Nittany Lions returning

Player	Position	Year
Cooper Cousins	Offensive lineman	Sophomore
Anthony Donkoh	Offensive lineman	Redshirt sophomore
Owen Aliciene	Offensive lineman	Freshman
Andrew Rappleyea	Tight end	Redshirt freshman

Penn State's Transfer Portal Departures

Penn State cornerback A.J. Harris makes a tackle vs. SMU Mustangs' tight end Matthew Hibner in the 2024 College Football Playoff game. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Penn State's most important portal departures have been on defense, led by freshman defensive end Chaz Coleman. The standout pass-rusher from Ohio, who played the position for just one season in high school, is the No. 1-ranked edge rusher and No. 4 overall player in the portal, according to 247Sports. A 4-star recruit in the 2025 class, Coleman is a 5-star portal prospect, according to the site.

RELATED: Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht is a perfect transfer prospect for Penn State

Penn State lost two cornerbacks, including two-year starter A.J. Harris, who transferred to Penn State from Georgia. Elliot Washington II, a preseason projected starter who played a rotational role in the secondary, is leaving the Nittany Lions after three seasons.

Among the most interesting transfer decisions belongs to defensive end Zuriah Fisher, who spent six years at Penn State. Fisher was injured for two of those seasons and told 247Sports late in the season that he expects to have another year of eligibility for 2026. After missing the 2024 season with an injury, Fisher returned to start 11 games and total two sacks for the Nittany Lions.

Defensive end Jaylen Harvey, a redshirt freshman who played in the rotation with Fisher and started the Pinstripe Bowl, entered with three seasons of eligibility remaining. He made his first sack of the season in the bowl game.

Defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam also represents a loss, particularly as he became a solid player in the Nittany Lions' rotation. Gilliam, a redshirt freshman, started the Pinstripe Bowl and played in every game this season.

Linebacker Keon Wylie, who took on a larger defensive role after Tony Rojas' early season injury, entered the portal with one year remaining. Wylie made his decision before Penn State officially hired D'Anton Lynn as defensive coordinator.

Redshirt freshman linebacker Anthony Speca, a 4-star prospect in the 2024 class, played in 11 games, making six tackles. Another linebacker in the portal is redshirt freshman Kari Jackson, who did not play after the opener against Nevada because of injuries.

Offensively, quarterback Bekkem Kritza entered the portal after one season on campus. Kritza was injured most of the year but was active for the Pinstripe Bowl. Former Penn State coach James Franklin liked Kritza's potential (he was a 3-star recruit out of Florida) but considered him a long-term project.

Other offensive players in the portal include receivers Kaden Saunders and Anthony Ivey, offensive lineman Alex Birchmeier and tight end Joey Schlaffer, all of whom played reserve roles this season.

Penn State Outgoing Transfers

Player	Position	Year	New School
Chaz Coleman	Defensive end	Freshman
Zuriah Fisher	Defensive end	Sixth-year senior
Jaylen Harvey	Defensive end	Redshirt freshman
Daniel Jennings	Defensive end	Freshman
Xavier Gilliam	Defensive tackle	Redshirt freshman
A.J. Harris	Cornerback	Junior
Elliot Washington II	Cornerback	Junior
Keon Wylie	Linebacker	Redshirt junior
Anthony Speca	Limebacker	Redshirt freshman
Kari Jackson	Linebacker	Redshirt freshman
Bekkem Kritza	Quarterback	Freshman
Anthony Ivey	Wide receiver	Redshirt junior
Kaden Saunders	Wide receiver	Redshirt junior
Aaron Enterline	Wide receiver	Redshirt freshman
Alex Birchmeier	Offensive lineman	Redshirt sophomore
Joey Schlaffer	Tight end	Redshirt sophomore

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