No program in the country saw more players enter the transfer portal this offseason than Iowa State. And Matt Campbell and his general manager, Derek Hoodjer, have taken advantage. Through the first two days of college football’s transfer portal window, Penn State has landed 19 commitments, all from former Iowa State players.
However, Campbell and Hoodjer have had one major whiff in the portal so far, and to a Big Ten rival no less.
On Sunday, as Penn State commitments were rolling in from former Cyclones, Jontez Williams, ranked as the top cornerback in the transfer portal by Saturday Blitz, flipped the script, committing to USC instead. Lincoln Riley beat out Notre Dame for the commitment despite not having a defensive coordinator in place after Campbell plucked D’Anton Lynn from his staff.
Jontez Williams USC commitment could thrust Penn State underclassmen into major roles
Audavion Collins is returning for 2026, but with A.J Harris and Kenny Woseley Jr. in the transfer portal and Elliot Washington II already committed to Clemson, Penn State doesn’t have a lot of depth at outside corner. And the depth that Campbell and Lynn do have is mostly inexperienced.
Behind Collins and Harris, true freshman four-star Daryus Dixson played the most snaps at outside corner this season, appearing in 10 games and finishing with 18 tackles and five pass breakups. Dixson looks poised to thrive as a full-time starter next year, giving the Nittany Lions a solid duo with Dixson and Collins, but far from the level of play that Williams would be likely to give Campbell in his final season of eligibility.
After Collins and Dixson, Jahmir Joseph, another 2025 four-star, is next up on the depth chart. Joseph played in just four games, preserving his redshirt for the season, but with just 91 snaps of experience, it won’t be easy to trust him heading into the year.
Nickel corner Zion Tracy has also announced his return to Happy Valley, which, along with the transfer portal arrival of former Iowa State safety Marcus Neal Jr., will help bolster the defensive back room. Still, Campbell and Hoodjer should consider making an addition at outside corner because of the 19 former Cyclones committed to Penn State through Monday, none play the position, and only three are defensive backs.
So far, Penn State has only added former Iowa State players to its roster. While they’ve been nice additions to replenish what was a heavily senior-laden roster, a group that went 8-4 in the Big 12 in 2025 shouldn’t be expected to compete for a Big Ten title in 2026. Especially without a star like Williams.
The margins are slim for Campbell in Year 1. He has to build nearly all of his roster through the transfer portal, and that’s no easy task. But missing out on Williams will be costly to his defense, unless he can make a big splash in the next 11 days.