Penn State Transfer Portal Tracker: Nittany Lions address one position of need, pursue another
Penn State has made some key additions in the NCAA Transfer Portal this offseason, but the Nittany Lions could see some attrition at the conclusion of spring practice.
James Franklin said his assistant coaches’ phones were already buzzing Saturday afternoon. As Penn State prepared for its annual Blue-White Game to close spring practice, the NCAA Transfer Portal was opening up for its second window of the season. Between Saturday and April 30, any player is eligible to enter the portal to search for a new college football home.
And that means it’s time for the Nittany Lions staff to go to work.
The transfer portal has proven to be fruitful for Penn State over the past few seasons. In 2021, defensive end Arnold Ebiketie starred and defensive tackle Derrick Tangelo was a key rotational piece. Cornerback Johnny Dixon has developed into a quality cornerback, while offensive lineman Hunter Nourzad is set to start at center this season. Wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley was a solid pass-catcher last season, and defensive end Chop Robinson made an instant impact.
On the other side of the coin, Penn State has been able to retain its most talented players. Attrition has hit certain areas of the depth chart, but the Nittany Lions have been able to keep their top-line talent in Happy Valley. Over the winter, it even had a player enter the portal and elect to return to Penn State in defensive end-turned-tackle Davon Townley.
On Saturday, another wave of transfer portal entries began. Undergraduate athletes who want to enter the portal must do so in this window. Graduate students are allowed to enter the portal at any time. The first window lasted 45 days from early December through mid-January, and 1,285 players entered the portal in that span. As of last week, there were 2,294 players in the portal.
So what does all of this mean for Penn State?
The Nittany Lions are likely to be hit with typical spring attrition as the depth chart and roles shake out after spring football. And on the other side, Franklin laid out positions where the Nittany Lions could use an infusion of talent. Plus, if there’s a great player at any position where there’s mutual interest, Penn State will be interested.
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