This offseason for Penn State football has largely surrounding about new head coach Matt Campbell and his massive group of transfers as well as how the new staff in Happy Valley will mesh together come Week 1.
Iowa State transfers Ikenna Ezeogu and Caleb Bacon alongside Colorado transfer Alexander McPherson have been the ones in the spotlight at defensive end. Storylines of top transfers have flooded the past few months, meaning defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn has a few edge rushers flying under-the-radar.
These three returning Nittany Lions spent their first NCAA seasons at Penn State, and didn't even get a ton of playing time. That doesn't mean they can't be impactful players on the edge, it just means Lynn has a few hidden talents up his sleeve.
3.) LaVar Arrington II
Arrington played in seven games as a true freshman in 2025 with his first appearance coming after former head coach James Franklin was fired. At the time, Arrington was a linebacker for the Nittany Lions, but he switched positions to defensive end entering the Campbell era.
He won't be a consistent player in the rotation given the talent upfront in the room. Arrington was a special teamer in 2025, so that's where most of his reps will come likely come from again in 2026. However, getting out on the field more on defense is the goal for him and if the work ethic and development is there, Lynn won't shy away from using the depth on this roster.
2.) Max Granville
Like Robinson, Granville didn't see the field in 2025 due to injury. He also redshirted his true freshman season in 2024 after making only seven game appearances and logging one tackle, one pass breakup, and one pass defended.
Granville was one of three Nittany Lions initially selected for college football's 2026 Comeback Player of the Year alongside Tony Rojas and Jeremiah Cooper. If he can stay healthy, Granville will certainly see himself in the defensive end rotation this season.
Director of football strength and conditioning Reid Kagy said earlier in the summer that he's been impressed with Granville's work ethic and approach to his recovery. He wasn't limited during fall camp either, so Granville should be out on the field fully.
1.) Yvan Kemajou
Kemajou wasn't struck by injury in 2025, which was his true freshman season. Aside from the three non-conference opponents, the young edge rusher got back on the field in Week 7 against Northwestern and played in every game through the Pinstripe Bowl vs. Clemson. This was a risky move by interim head coach Terry Smith at the time, but with the new five-in-five NCAA rule, it worked out in Kemajou's and Penn State's favors.
Last season, Kemajou totaled 13 tackles (five tackles for loss), 1.5 sacks, one pass breakup, one pass defended, and one quarterback hurry over 11 games. His five tackles for loss were also the fourth-most on the team last year. He made one start as a true freshman.
ESPN recently labeled Kemajou as one of the 51 sleeper college football players of the season, emphasizing his performance in the back half of 2025. Campbell told Adam Rittenberg that he was particularly impressed with how Kemajou stepped up to the challenge versus Ohio State and Indiana. His pass breakup and pass defended came from the game against the Hoosiers.
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