The Penn State Nittany Lions enter the 2026 season at a fascinating crossroads, striving to balance the expectations of national prominence with the pressure to finally break through to the sport’s highest tier. After a 53-day coaching carousel saga that saw them linked to numerous candidates with a wide range of experience, the program now turns the page to a new era under incoming head coach Matt Campbell from Iowa State. As the Nittany Lions head into the fall, opinions and expectations surrounding the program remain widely varied.
This year’s squad has all the pieces to contend. The roster blends returning veteran leaders, impact transfers from the portal, promising underclassmen, and incoming freshmen who could contribute from day one, as well as a revamped staff to support Matt Campbell’s vision for what Penn State football will look like going forward.
With a favorable 2026 schedule on the horizon, let’s examine how the new roster and staff stack up as we head into the fall.
Table of Contents
Quarterback – 8.5/10
Iowa State veteran transfer Rocco Becht gives Penn State an immediate veteran presence to fill the shoes of the departing Drew Allar and Ethan Grunkemeyer. He arrives with 39-consecutive starts, with 26 wins, in his Iowa State career. He threw for over 9,000 yards and 64 touchdowns, along with 19 more on the ground. Reuniting with a familiar staff from his previous stop, which led Iowa State to an 11-3 mark in 2024, which saw the Cyclones make the Big 12 championship game and average 31 points per game. After battling injuries in 2025, expect Becht to be back at full strength and at his best for the Nittany Lions in the fall. Becht is also joined by incoming transfers Connor Barry and Alex Manske, and four-star freshman Peyton Falzone.
Projected Depth Chart:
QB1: Rocco Becht (RS – SR, Iowa State)
QB2: Connor Barry (SR, Christopher Newport)
QB3: Alex Manske (FR, Iowa State)
Running Back – 8/10
Following the dynamic, record-setting era of Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton, the Nittany Lions have restocked their running back room well with returning players and new additions. The standouts are Carson Hansen, who rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2025 at Iowa State, and former four-star high school prospect James Peoples, who arrives from Ohio State after posting 349 yards last season. Together, they form a true power-speed combination that should be central to the offensive game plan. Other impact running backs returning to the program include Quinton Martin Jr., who notably ran for over 100 yards in last season’s Pinstripe Bowl against Clemson, and Cam Wallace, a former three-star prospect with a promising future in the program. D’Antae Sheffey also joins as an incoming freshman.
Projected Depth Chart:
RB1: Carsen Hanson (SR, Iowa State)
RB2: James Peoples (JR, Ohio State)
RB3: Quinton Martin Jr. (RS – SO, Returner)
RB4: Cam Wallace (RS – SO, Returner)
Wide Receiver – 7/10
One position group seeing the most turnover from 2025 is wide receiver. To the delight of Penn State fans on social media, fan-favorite Koby Howard returns to the program after showing plenty of promise in limited snaps last season. Lyrick Samuel is another notable returner, a former four-star prospect in the 2025 class.
The biggest changes come from incoming Iowa State transfers Chase Sowell, Brett Eskildsen, Karon Brookins, and Zay Robinson. Sowell and Eskildsen were the Cyclones’ standouts last season, each topping 500 receiving yards. An overlooked addition is Keith Jones Jr., who arrives from Grambling State after recording more than 400 receiving yards and four touchdowns last year. Expect this group to be productive by committee, as the depth is thin and injuries are a luxury they can’t afford.
Projected Depth Chart:
WR1: Chase Sowell (RS – SR, Iowa State)
WR2: Brett Eskildsen (JR, Iowa State)
WR3/Slot: Koby Howard (SO, Returner)
WR4: Keith Jones Jr. (RS – SO, Grambling State)
WR5: Zay Robinson (RS – FR, Iowa State)
Lyrick Samuel (RS – FR, Returner)
Tight End – 8/10
The tight end room, which could quietly become the best position group on the team, is undergoing a major overhaul from 2025, but proven production is arriving to bolster it. The headline is the return of fan favorite Andrew Rappleyea to the Nittany Lions after he emerged as one of the most reliable players last season. Coach Campbell is known for using two- and three-tight-end sets, a scheme that should benefit Penn State in 2026. Newcomers Benjamin Brahmer, Gabe Burkle, and Cooper Alexander all logged significant snaps and delivered for the Cyclones last year, with the 6’7” Brahmer leading the unit with 446 receiving yards and six touchdowns. With all four tight ends standing at least 6’4”, each is expected to play a major role in the offense next season.
Projected Depth Chart:
TE1: Benjamin Brahmer (SR, Iowa State)
TE2: Andrew Rappleyea (RS – JR, Returner)
TE3: Gabe Burkle (RS – SR, Iowa State)
TE4: Cooper Alexander (RS – SO, Iowa State)
Offensive Line – 7.5/10
I like the makeup of the group, but it is tough to predict how the unit will mesh going into spring ball. With a solid mix of returning production and incoming talent, what will be the grouping to lead the Nittany Lions offense in 2026? The standout returners are Anthony Donkoh, Dominic Rulli, Cooper Cousins, and Garrett Sexton, with Donkoh having the most starting experience of the group. Former five-star recruit Malachi Goodman also comes back for the Nittany Lions after redshirting his freshman year. The incoming production consists of Brock Riker, Vae Ikakoula, Will Tompkins, Trevor Buhr, and Kuol Kuol II. This group brings in a mix of Iowa State production and some youth for future seasons to come.
Projected Depth Chart:
LT: Malachi Goodman (RS – FR, Returner), Owen Aliciene (RS – FR, Returner)
LG: Trevor Buhr (RS – JR, Iowa State)
C: Dominic Rulli (RS – SR, Returner), Brock Riker (RS – SO, Texas State)
RG: Cooper Cousins (JR, Returner)
RT: Anthony Donkoh (RS – JR, Returner), Garrett Sexton (RS – SO, Returner)
Defensive Line – 7/10
This unit may not feature the patented names and familiar faces of the past, but it should still be a solid position group heading into the 2026 season. Notable returners include Ty Blanding, Yvan Kemajou, Liam Andrews, Jordan Mayer, and Max Granville, three of whom were former four-star high school recruits. The headliners arrive via the transfer portal with EDGE additions Ikenna Ezeogu and Alexander McPherson. At defensive tackle, new additions include Armstrong Nnodim, Keanu Williams, Dallas Vakalahi, Siale Taupaki, and Alijah Carnell. All of these incoming players bring proven game experience and Power Four football backgrounds. One of the more intriguing offseason moves around this group is Lavar Arrington II’s transition from linebacker to EDGE. Overall, expect this unit to be cohesive and disruptive heading into next season.
Projected Depth Chart:
EDGE1: Yvan Kemajou (SO, Returner), Alexander McPherson (SO, Colorado)
EDGE 2: Max Granville (RS – SO, Returner), Ikenna Ezeogu (RS – SR, Iowa State)
DT1: Keanu Williams (RS – SR, UCLA), Siale Taupaki (RS – SR+, UCLA), Armstrong Nnodim (RS – SR, Oklahoma State)
DT2: Ty Blanding (RS – JR, Returner), Dallas Vakalahi (JR, Utah)
Linebackers – 9/10
The best news for this 2026 roster was retaining LB Tony Rojas, the leader of this defense over the past two seasons, who unfortunately missed half of 2025 with a lower-body injury. After posting multiple public messages about the head coaching dilemma, he has been convinced to “finish what he started” at Penn State. He returns alongside young phenoms Alex Tatsch and Cam Smith, bolstered by key additions Caleb Bacon, Cael Brezina, Kooper Ebel, and Chris Fileppo. In what could be one of the better linebacker corps in the Big Ten, keep an eye on these members of Linebacker U.
Projected Depth Chart:
Starters: Tony Rojas (RS – JR, Returner), Caleb Bacon (RS – SR, Iowa State), Kooper Ebel (SR, Iowa State)
Backups: Alex Tatsch (SO, Returner), Cam Smith (RS – FR, Returner), Cael Brezzina (JR, Iowa State), Chris Fileppo (SO, West Virginia)
Defensive Backs – 7.5/10
While Penn State’s 2025 roster loses some notable production and name recognition in the secondary, this group should still be a very solid unit heading into 2026. The Nittany Lions retain Audavion Collins, Daryus Dixon, and Zion Tracy, all of whom were impact players for this unit last season. They also add several strong transfer-portal pickups with the potential to make a major impact and bolster depth. In my opinion, three of the better secondary additions in the entire country are Marcus Neal Jr., Jeremiah Cooper, and Jamison Patton, all coming over from Iowa State. Although Cooper battled injuries in 2025, the trio still combined for 52 tackles, six pass breakups, and five interceptions. Other key portal additions include Ibn McDaniels and Omarion Davis, who provide valuable depth to the group.
Projected Depth Chart:
Corners: Audavion Collins (RS – SR, Returner), Daryus Dixon (SO, Returner), Zion Tracy (SR, Returner)
Safeties: Marcus Neal Jr. (JR, Iowa State), Jeremiah Cooper (RS – SR, Iowa State), Jamison Patton (SR, Iowa State), Vaboue Toure (RS – SO, Returner)
Special Teams – 9/10
Starting kicker Ryan Barker returns, having gone 15/16 on field goals and 43/44 on PATs last season.
Coaching Staff
It’s difficult to assign an overall grade to a brand-new coaching staff, but expect one sometime before or during fall camp later this year. For now, here are my general thoughts and grades on the major additions to the Nittany Lions program.
Head Coach: Matt Campbell – A
Penn State spending more than 50 days to hire a coach who should have been one of Athletic Director Pat Kraft’s first phone calls is baffling. Ultimately, though, the Nittany Lions landed the best fit for the program. Coach Matt Campbell brings a proven standard and a winning culture to Happy Valley. At Iowa State—a program historically mediocre in football—he elevated the Cyclones to unprecedented heights. A three-time Big 12 Coach of the Year (2017, 2018, 2020), Campbell led Iowa State to its only two AP Top-15 finishes, accounted for 45.2% of the school’s all-time wins, and guided the Cyclones to their first-ever Big 12 Championship Game appearance in 2024. A Pennsylvania native, Campbell is the ideal fit for Penn State.
Offensive Staff – B
Following Coach Campbell from Iowa State, offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Taylor Mouser joins the Nittany Lions program. He arrives on a high note, having guided the Cyclones to seven games with 150+ rushing yards in 2025 and earning the 2025 FootballScoop Tight Ends Coach of the Year award. Offensive line coach Ryan Clanton also reunites with Campbell from Iowa State, where he helped build a powerful run game alongside Mouser last season, boosting rushing production from 108 yards per game to 160.5 in 2024.
Kashif Moore becomes the new wide receivers coach, coming over from UConn, where he led the development of Skyler Bell in 2025—a Biletnikoff Award finalist who finished second in the country with 1,278 receiving yards. Savon Huggins joins as the new running backs coach from Boston College, where he guided the Eagles to 2,163 rushing yards, a 4.1-yard average, and 24 rushing touchdowns in 2024.
Quarterbacks coach Jake Waters also comes from Iowa State, where he helped develop new Nittany Lions quarterback Rocco Becht.
Defensive Staff – A
Headlined by the hiring of Nittany Lion alumnus and former USC defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, Penn State’s new defensive staff is shaping up to be a major strength for Matt Campbell. Fan favorite and former Penn State great Terry Smith remains on staff as associate head coach and cornerbacks coach—a welcome sight for those who watched him weather the endless storm that was the end of the 2025 season. Joining the staff are Deon Broomfield (safeties/pass game coordinator), Ikaika Malloe (defensive line/run game coordinator), Tyson Veidt (linebackers), and Christian Smith (edge rushers). These notable additions, all of whom have proven success at other Power Four programs, are projected to be strong contributors under the leadership of Campbell and Lynn.
Overview
Overall, this Nittany Lions team feels older, sturdier, and firmly rooted in the system Matt Campbell has established in State College. The biggest questions, to me, are still at wide receiver and whether the rebuilt trenches can once again become a strength for Penn State. But with a proven quarterback, a strong rushing attack, and substantial returning production at the second level of the defense, I expect the Nittany Lions to be contenders again this season, especially with their very favorable 2026 schedule.
Notable 2026 contests:
- vs Wisconsin (9/26) (Big Ten Opener)
- vs USC (10/10)
- at Michigan (10/17)
- at Washington (11/7)
