Penn State football's Transfer Portal activity was buzzing. Head coach Matt Campbell did well in his first transfer cycle leading the Nittany Lions largely due to his Iowa State connections with the number of Cyclones who followed him to Happy Valley.
ESPN snubs PSU defense in prospect rankings, makes expected placements for offense
While excitement brews surrounding quarterback Rocco Becht and tight end Benjamin Brahmer, there's another transfer addition to Penn State's roster that's flying udner-the-radar.
247Sports named offensive lineman Brock Riker as one of the Nittany Lions' top transfers who hasn't been talked about enough.
The redshirt sophomore transferred out of Texas State after starting in 12 contests for the Bobcats at center. At Texas State, Riker allowed zero sacks over 438 pass-blocking snaps on offense. The Athletic named Riker to its Freshman All-American second-team.
Brock Riker has all the tools to be a freak athlete for Penn State
Analyst Daniel Gallen said that a reason why Riker is flying under the radar is because he joins Penn State from the Sun Belt Conference. He's not getting the attention he should, but that doesn't mean the Nittany Lions' staff underestimates him.
"His recruitment was a dog fight. He had about every offer," offensive line coach Ryan Clanton said of Riker, according to Tyler Donohue. "You watch the game film and you see someone who is super talented, extremely fast. What I saw were some really easy fixes that can make him an elite center fast . . . he hasn't been playing center very long . . . if this is the raw talent and ability in what he did . . . He is a natural at his position, the way that he can roll his hips and run through contact. He wants to win, he's about the team, he's a great addition."
Clanton said that season-by-season, the lineman's developed on the field and in the weight room. In 2025, Riker weighed roughly 275 pounds at six-foot-four-inch. He now weighs about 285 pounds, but with an extremely low body-fat percentage, according to the offensive line coach.
In fact, Clanton said that Riker is at "a freak show level" of body-fat percentage. Having the weight and muscles in the right spots mixed with Riker's natural ability at center and the right coaching to make the easy adjustments will make the competition for who starts at center tough. Redshirt senior Dominic Rull is currently the starter coming off the 2025 season as Nick Dawkins' eligibility expired. However with Riker, that can change quickly and Clanton is excited for the competition that ultimately brings the best out of both athletes.