3 most important Penn State players not named Rocco Becht for the 2026 season

There’s a significant level of roster churn at every program in college football each offseason in the Transfer Portal era, but with Penn State graduating a massive senior class while replacing James Franklin with Matt Campbell, there won’t be many teams in the country that look more drastically different from 2025 to 2026 than the Nittany Lions. 

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though, because while it flamed out in unexpectedly spectacular fashion, Franklin’s tenure had largely run its course, and that large senior class proved to be hugely overrated. Now, with a roster that has a distinct Iowa State Cyclone flavor to it and one of the softest schedules in the Big Ten, the fresh faces in Happy Valley could thrust Penn State back into College Football Playoff contention. 

If that’s the case, it almost has to be because veteran quarterback Rocco Becht, who followed Campbell from Ames, has a resurgent year after battling dueling shoulder injuries for much of the 2025 campaign. Without Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, his top targets from a prolific 2026 season, Becht took a major statistical step back. 

A return to form is the most significant possible development for Penn State, but the quarterback is always going to be the most important player; that’s just the nature of the sport. But which other players on this year’s Penn State roster have a chance to swing the Nittany Lions’ fortunes? 

There isn’t much clearly established on this roster, but, for example, running back Carson Hansen is already a proven producer, Penn State has other options (James Peoples and Quinton Martin Jr.) in the backfield, and running back production can largely be determined by offensive line play and play-calling. So, while it’s critical that he makes the jump from the Big 12 to the Big Ten, his level of play is already clearly established, and he’s at an inherently less valuable position. 

With this exercise, I’m looking for the players with a wide range of outcomes, who, if they hit their ceiling, will dramatically improve Penn State’s chances of pushing for a CFP spot, and if they hit their floor, the production they were expected to bring will be difficult to replace. 

3. Daryus Dixson, CB, Sophomore

A top-100 recruit in the 2025 class, Daryus Dixson burned his redshirt early last season and by the end of the year was a mainstay at outside corner. He performed well down the stretch, so well that Penn State didn’t make much investment in the portal at cornerback.

Essentially, Penn State’s defensive backfield is Penn State’s cornerbacks with Dixson, Audavion Collins and Zion Tracy in the slot, with Iowa State’s safeties, Marcus Neal Jr., Jeremiah Cooper, and Jamison Patton. Of that group of corners, Dixson has the most upside, and if he plays to his potential as a lockdown corner, D’Anton Lynn could have one of the best secondaries in the Big Ten. 

2. Ikenna Ezeogu, DE, Redshirt Senior

At Iowa State, Ikenna Ezeogu was pigeon-holed into Jon Heacock’s 3-3-5 defensive structure, often playing head up on an offensive tackle as a defensive end. He had the size to fill that role, but at 6-foot-5, 275 with decent bend, he’s best suited as a true edge. The linebacker room will get to play much freer with the transition to a 4-2-5 under Lynn, but even Kooper Ebel, Cael Brezina, and Caleb Bacon won’t benefit from the stylistic shift as much as Ezeogu. 

Max Granville is coming off an injury, and Yvan Kemajou is expected to step into a full-time role for the first time at edge. That duo has gobs of potential, but they’ll need a rotation and a veteran presence like Ezeogu, who has the size to set the edge as a run defender and the tools to get after the passer, could be an unexpected difference maker for Penn State. If he hits, Penn State will have a deep pass-rushing rotation and a versatile group. If he doesn’t, Granville and Lynn will have to ask a ton of Granville and Kemajou, and that’s a risky proposition. 

1. Malachi Goodman, OT, Redshirt Freshman

Speaking of risky propositions, Penn State could be entering the year with a redshirt freshman at left tackle. Malachi Goodman, a former five-star in the 2025 class who didn’t show any signs of leaving through the transition to Campbell, impressed during the spring, enough that he’s the likely frontrunner on the left side. 

Goodman likely won’t be the only first-time starter on the line; Cooper Cousins seems to be in line to play right guard. However, left tackle is probably the most important position along the offensive line, so Goodman cannot be the weak link. If he is, it won’t matter how much better Becht is when he’s healthy, because he probably won’t be 100 percent for long.

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