Defensive End enters transfer portal, could be a fit for Penn State Football

Penn State Football already added to defensive end once this offseason through the transfer portal, could a new addition to the market prompt them to do it again? 

West Virginia defensive end Jeffery Pooler is entering the transfer portal after four years in Morgantown. He made it known through a goodbye he penned to Mountaineer fans on his personal twitter account on Wednesday.

Pooler turned himself into a very productive edge rusher in West Virginia’s defense, recording 6.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss and 49 total tackles in four seasons. He amassed three sacks in nine games last season to go along with a forced fumble.

The six-foot-two, 250-pound defensive end could be an ideal fit for Penn State Football’s defensive line next fall, as the defensive end position is still rather thin, even after the addition of Arnold Ebiketie from Temple earlier this offseason.

Ebiketie has starred so far in the two open practices the Nittany Lions have had this spring, but it is dangerous to take too much away from that type of situation, good or bad. He figures to start opposite sophomore Adisa Isaac who is full of potential, but still a raw prospect with only three sacks and four and a half tackles for loss in his career.

Isaac has never been an every down starter at this level, and head coach James Franklin has talked about concerns of him keeping his weight up during the season.

Behind those two, Nick Tarburton stands out as a guy who could even push to start, and has been referenced by Franklin multiples times this spring and offseason as a guy who has impressed this coaching staff. However, the issue with Tarburton through his career is his inability to stay healthy, so he will have to prove that he can be a consistent contributor next fall. Behind him, it is names like Smith Vilbert and Zuriah Fisher who has transitioned from linebacker to end.

Franklin has said on multiple occasions this offseason they are open to acquiring all positions in the transfer portal, but specifically mentioned defensive end and defensive back as positions they would target. Pooler would provide another body who has proven he can do it at the power five level, and give Brent Pry another option to further bolster that group.

Pooler is a former two-star recruit from Dayton, Ohio who chose West Virginia over a few other power five schools like Rutgers and Maryland. Coming out of Dunbar high school he did not have an offer from Penn State Football, however he fits the mold of an overachiever who has been productive in college and could come in and contribute right away in 2021.

It will be something to monitor if the country roads lead Pooler to Happy Valley.