Penn State’s record didn’t reflect it, but James Franklin’s 2025 roster was loaded with talent. Now, most of the talent is heading for either the NFL or graduation, so Matt Campbell will have to dive headfirst into the transfer portal to rebuild the roster in Happy Valley for 2026.
However, it may not be a total overhaul because Campbell and athletic director Pat Kraft were able to keep Terry Smith on the staff after his stint as interim head coach. Smith is now the highest-paid non-coordinator in the country, and that money will be well worth it if he can keep some of the Nittany Lions’ best young players in the program through the transition to Campbell.
The Transfer Portal doesn’t open until January 2, and between then and now, these are the five players that Campbell, Smith, and head of player personnel department Derek Hoodjer have to work hardest to hold on to.
Heading into the season, AJ Harris was considered a first-round talent by NFL evaluators, at least the ones in the media who produce their “way-too-early mock drafts.” However, Harris didn’t have his strongest season in coverage, and it could force him to put his NFL dreams on hold as he recoups his draft value.
He has just one year of eligibility remaining, so that inherently hurts his value in an exercise like this one, but if he returns to his 2024 form next season, he could be the most impactful player for Penn State’s defense.
Daryus Dixson was not a superstar was a true freshman, but the 2025 four-star played 264 defensive snaps across nine games and was a useful player for defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. Not only was he solid in coverage, but Dixson was an excellent blitzer, recording five pressures and two sacks on just seven pass-rush snaps this season.
Dixson will need to improve his tackling, but a young, talented cover corner who thrived in a specific role as a true freshman is the type of player that any coaching staff would covet.
Starting left tackle Drew Shelton, starting right tackle Nolan Rucci, and starting center Nick Dawkins are all out of eligibility and will be moving on this season. Starting left guard Vega Ioane is a potential first-round pick who will presumably head to the NFL. That leaves right guard Anthony Donkoh as Penn State’s lone returning starter on the offensive line for 2026.
Donkoh has been impressive in his two seasons as a starter, showcasing inside-out versatility at guard and tackle. He’s a valuable player in a vacuum, but considering that the offensive line is one of the thinnest position groups around the country and most expensive in the transfer portal, retaining Donkoh will be paramount for Campbell and his staff.
Tony Rojas missed most of the season after suffering a knee injury in Penn State’s Week 5 loss to Oregon. In his absence, North Carolina transfer Amare Campbell emerged as the green dot player on defense and the leading tackler. However, Rojas is the more highly coveted linebacker on the roster, and because of his injury, he was able to retain a year of eligibility after playing in just four games in 2025.
Coleman was a late riser in the 2025 recruiting class, and if you re-ranked that class after the season, he’d likely be a top 10 player. Despite playing in just nine games due to injury, Coleman racked up 15 QB pressures through his 70 pass rush snaps. His 22.1 percent pass-rush win rate was the best on the team and 10th best in the country among players with at least 70 pass-rush snaps.