When Penn State football hired Matt Campbell as its next head coach, it allotted roughly $30 million towards NIL and $17 million towards staff and hiring.
Campbell quickly added a number of people to his staff, including defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn, and worked to retain key Nittany Lions on the roster. However, with former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles leaving Happy Valley for Tennessee, many stars on defense — young and old — followed him. That included senior linebacker Amare Campbell, redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Xavier Gilliam, and sophomore edge rusher Chaz Coleman.
According to an anonymous coach, those three signed NIL deals worth more than what they believed their value was at Penn State. While losing those three, high-profile players, Campbell managed to keep redshirt junior linebacker Tony Rojas and bring in familiar talent from Iowa State. Redshirt senior defensive end Ikenna Ezeogu, redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Alijah Carnell, and linebackers redshirt senior Caleb Bacon, senior Kooper Ebel, and junior Cael Brezina all transferred and joined Campbell's new squad.
“I don’t necessarily know that they’re gonna be immediately good in Year 1, but I thought the three big guys who followed . . . Knowles to Tennessee went for way more money than I would’ve paid them if I were Penn State," the anonymous coach stated, per Athlon Sports. "I thought [the Nittany Lions] made a couple of really good adds. I also thought they kept a couple of really good players that could’ve left, like . . . Rojas. That’s a really good player that probably could’ve gone anywhere for a lot more money than what he got at Penn State.”
That's not to mention the players on offense Campbell both kept and added to the Nittany Lions' roster.
Former Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht, running back Carson Hansen, wide receiver Chase Sowell, and tight end Benjamin Brahmer were among the crew who followed Campbell from Iowa State. Campbell also added former Ohio State running back James Peoples to the roster as well.
As for those who stayed at Penn State, Campbell kept offensive linemen Cooper Cousins, Dominic Rulli, Anthony Donkoh, and Malachi Goodman, tight end Andrew Rappleyea, and wide receiver Koby Howard.
While he's relying on a bunch of Transfer Portal talent, Campbell was particular with who he brought over and who he prioritized keeping and successfully kept in State College.
Senior writer Kyle Wood of Athlon Sports described Campbell's NIL spending as "judicious."
Building the foundation of the roster in year one is essential, even if many of these key players are entering their final season of NCAA eligibility or plan on declaring for the 2027 NFL Draft. In almost each position room, there's a good variety of young talent and experienced players. Even if Campbell's starters won't be Nittany Lions after the 2026 season, there's an expectation set for the younger guys who can, hopefully, step up into those roles in the future.
Add us as a preferred source on Google