Ranking the Top Iowa State Players Matt Campbell Brings to Penn State

Penn State coach Matt Campbell has spent the past month reshaping a Nittany Lions roster that will look completely different in 2026. And he’s done so by bringing over a plethora of talent he coached at Iowa State.

As of Wednesday morning, Campbell has added 20 of his former players to Penn State’s roster. Here’s our ranking of the top nine players moving to Happy Valley from Ames.

Quarterback Rocco Becht

When Campbell took the Penn State job, it felt like a given that Rocco Becht would transfer with him. Now, Becht looks to be the Nittany Lions’ starting quarterback for 2026.

Becht was the No. 8 quarterback and 21st-ranked overall player when the portal opened. He now sits 14 spots ahead of former Penn State quarterback Grunkemeyer, according to 247Sports, who entered the portal Jan. 1 and is expected to join James Franklin at Virginia Tech.

The third-year starter, who has one season of eligibility remaining, threw for 9,274 yards, 64 touchdowns and 27 interceptions at a 60.7-percent completion rate during his time in Ames. He also finished his tenure as the winningest quarterback in Iowa State history.

Safety Marcus Neal Jr.

Iowa State Cyclones' defensive back Marcus Neal Jr. celebrates with coach Deon Broomfield after an interception. — Iowa State Cyclones' defensive back Marcus Neal Jr. celebrates with passsing game coach Deon Broomfield after an interception against Kansas. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Marcus Neal Jr. concluded the 2025 season as the Cyclones’ leader in interceptions (2), solo tackles (40) and tackles for loss (11). He was a third-team All-Big 12 selection in his first year as a starter.

With safeties Zakee Wheatley, Dejuan Lane and King Mack no longer at Penn State, Neal instantly slots in as Penn State’s top safety. Neal’s decision helps patch a major roster need for the 2026 season, as Campbell brought in one of the most sought-after defensive players in the portal.

Wide receiver Chase Sowell

Penn State’s wide receiver room was quickly depleted after the 2025 season. Three starters (Trebor Pena, Kyron Hudson, Devonte Ross) ran out of eligibility, as did Liam Clifford, and five receivers entered the portal. The addition of Chase Sowell is vital, as he is now the most proven wideout on the roster.

Sowell was the 39th-overall player and 11th-ranked wide receiver when the transfer portal opened. That rating was much deserved, as the redshirt junior has eclipsed 500 receiving yards in each of the past three seasons.

Sowell finished his 2025 campaign with 500 yards and two touchdowns on 32 receptions.

Linebacker Caleb Bacon

Penn State fans breathed a massive sigh of relief when linebacker Tony Rojas announced his return. But the position took a hit when leading tackler Amare Campbell, who spent one season at Penn State, entered the portal.

The Nittany Lions addressed that void by adding two linebackers in Kooper Ebel and Caleb Bacon, who is the player to watch. Bacon, a redshirt senior, made 68 tackles for Iowa State, including 9.5 for loss and three sacks. A former walk-on, Bacon earned All-Big 12 honorable mention last season and became a team co-captain.

Tight end Benjamin Brahmer

The addition of Benjamin Brahmer helps Penn State mitigate (or perhaps helped lead to) the departures of five tight ends, including starter Luke Reynolds, who is expected to follow Franklin to Virginia Tech.

Brahmer (6-7, 255 pounds) is a big-bodied tight end who makes his presence felt in the red zone. The junior posted 446 receiving yards and six touchdowns last season after missing five games in 2024 due to injury. In 2023, Brahmer caught 28 passes, an Iowa State record for freshmen tight ends, and was named to several Freshman All-American teams.

When the portal opened, Brahmer was the highest-ranked tight end but fell to the second after Reynolds entered.

Running back Carson Hansen

Penn State took a massive hit at running back after the departures of Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. So Campbell brought in his starting running back from Iowa State, Carson Hansen.

The junior was often the Cyclones’ best offensive player in 2025, totaling 952 rushing yards (5.1 yards per carry) and 134 receiving yards. Hansen capped his season with five straight games rushing over 100 yards, leading to his second consecutive campaign amassing 800 total yards.

Interior offensive lineman Trevor Buhr

Penn State lost four-fifths of its starting offensive line this offseason, with redshirt sophomore Anthony Donkoh the lone returning starter for 2026. Additionally, guard TJ Shanahan Jr. followed former Nittany Lions offensive line coach Phil Trautwein to Florida.

Thus, Campbell added Trevor Buhr (6-4, 325 pounds) through the transfer portal. A redshirt sophomore, Buhr was honorable mention All-Big 12 after starting six games at guard. He started 12 games in two seasons at Iowa State and is listed as a 3-star player in 247Sports’ portal rankings.

Wide receiver Brett Eskildsen

Iowa State Cyclones receiver Brett Eskildsen celebrates with offensive line coach Ryan Clanton after scoring a touchdown. — Iowa State Cyclones' wide receiver Brett Eskildsen (9) celebrates with offensive line coach Ryan Clanton after scoring a touchdown against Kansas. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Brett Eskildsen is a 3-star player in 247Sports’ portal rankings and was the leading receiver in the Cyclones’ 2025 offense. He totaled 526 yards and five touchdowns on an impressive 17.5 yards per catch.

The sophomore can stretch the field, a quality Penn State’s offense lacked often last season. He’s a good fit next to Sowell, as his addition helps shape out a depleted Nittany Lions wide receiver room.

Quarterback Alex Manske

Penn State’s four scholarship quarterbacks in 2025 are gone, meaning the position group needed more than a starter. So in addition to Becht, Campbell brought Alex Manske with him from Iowa State.

The 6-3, 220-pound redshirt freshman was On3’s highest-rated recruit of any Big 12 team in 2025. He also was the eighth-ranked quarterback in the class and the No. 1 player in Iowa.

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