Grading Penn State's Transfer Portal Acquisitions

At Hard Rock Stadium in January, an emotional Drew Allar spoke with the media just moments removed from arguably the toughest loss of the James Franklin era at Penn State. As most quarterbacks do, Allar took accountability for the 27-24 loss to Notre Dame, saying through tears that “we didn’t win the game, so [my performance] wasn’t good enough.” But that wasn’t entirely true.

While Allar’s uneven outing took center stage, Penn State’s receivers room, coached by Marques Hagans, also received well-deserved scrutiny. The Nittany Lions’ wideouts had their worst performance of the season, combining for zero receptions on just five targets.  

After the Orange Bowl collapse, Penn State’s two leading receivers, Omari Evans and Harrison Wallace III, transferred for a fresh start elsewhere. And tight end Tyler Warren, who won the Mackey Award, became a first-round NFL Draft pick.  

The offense lost its three leading pass-catchers, but the defense took a substantial hit as well. Beyond Abdul Carter’s departure to the NFL, the Nittany Lions’ linebacker and safety rooms thinned with the departures of Kobe King, Jaylen Reed, Dvon Ellies and captain Kevin Winston Jr., who played in just two games. 

With sudden needs at receiver, linebacker and safety, Franklin hit the transfer portal to round out Penn State’s roster for a potential championship run in 2025. How successful were the Nittany Lions? Here are my grades for Penn State’s offseason acquisitions.

Linebacker Amare Campbell : A+

Penn State’s most impactful acquisition of the offseason arguably was Campbell, a linebacker from North Carolina. With the departures of King to the NFL draft and Ta’Mere Robinson to USC, the Nittany Lions had a major hole to fill at the position. Linebackers coach Dan Connor said Penn State was “fortunate” to sign Campbell.  

Campbell, who played two seasons at North Carolina, is an elite tackler and a disruptor in the backfield, tallying 76 tackles (11 for loss), 6.5 sacks and a forced fumble in a strong 2024 season. Campbell was one of the top linebackers available this spring and could replace King in the middle of Penn State's defense.

Receiver Trebor Peña: A

Former Syracuse wide receiver Trebor Peña entered the transfer portal in April and immediately garnered interest from the Nittany Lions. It seemed like a perfect fit: Penn State needed a difference-maker on offense, and Peña could boost his draft stock by catching passes from a talented quarterback in Allar. 

Pena (5-10, 186 pounds) is a dynamic addition to Hagans’ group. His route tree is endless, something Penn State’s offense has lacked since the departure of Jahan Dotson in 2021. While Peña can run nearly every route in coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s offense, the New Jersey native thrives in the slot. On the unlikely occasion he starts on the outside, Peña often goes in motion, using his speed and elusiveness to create space before the snap. 

Penn State poached an elite wide receiver from Syracuse, filling a massive void in Kotelnicki’s offense by adding a true playmaker.