EA Sports College Football 26 released the first batch of roster updates for the game just before the 2025-26 college football season kicked off in Dublin, Ireland, between Iowa State and Kansas State.
With some of the highest-rated players in the game, there are also many blue and white players on both sides of the ball that were initially left off, mostly freshmen, due to restrictions on likeness and payment.
While the Nittany Lions have to wait another week to showcase what is being called one of their strongest rosters in program history, it earned Penn State one of the highest team ratings in the game. It debuted as the No. 4 highest rated unit among all teams in the game.
Yet with these recruits officially being added to the game, it allows Penn State fans to take control of some of the team's highest-potential players.
Nittany Lion additions on offense
There are still some big names missing from the offensive side of the ball after this update as freshman QB Bekkem Kritza and redshirt sophomore Jack Lambert were replaced by computer-generated players.
This continues with the RB room, where the only addition is walk-on senior Tyler Holzworth with a 51 overall rating. This addition brings one step closer to the backfield being completed in the game with only three-star recruit Jabree Coleman and walk-on redshirt senior Amiel Davis absent from the roster.
Skill positions remained unchanged with the receiving core and tight end unit staying the same since the release. Only nine of 16 total rostered Penn State wideouts made the roster, with three TEs missing.
Headlining these missing players are a four-star wideout Jeff Exinor Jr. and a pair of three-star tight ends, Joey Schlaffer and Matt Henderson.
Finishing up the offense with the trenches, there is still a plethora of absences with really only first and second-string linemen currently on the CFB 26 roster. The only addition this time around was five-star freshman tackle Malachi Goodman.
As the highest-ranked recruit from Penn State's 2025 class, he sits with a 77 overall with an 83-rated pass block and 86-rated pass block power — both top five figures on the roster.
Nittany Lion additions on defense
Similar to the offensive line, Penn State didn't see any defensive line players added with this roster update.
Among those missing is a four-star recruit Yvan Kemajou, who was the Nittany Lions' fifth-highest rated recruit this season, according to 247Sports.
EA didn't miss adding Penn State's most intriguing recruit, LaVar Arrington II, who arrives from Annapolis, Md.. He has an opportunity to follow in his father's footsteps after he became a Happy Valley legend in starting the legendary Stix City.
Now a member of the prestigious No. 11 linebacker club, we see Arrington II debut as a 72 overall strong-side linebacker.
Many of the freshmen's ratings stick out, with 87 rated hit power, 92 rated toughness, and incredible speed and agility. Surprisingly, EA gave the debutante a 67 overall strength rating in an offseason where Arrington II repeatedly snatched headlines for his outstanding physical ability.
Yet Arrington II is the only addition to the linebacker room, as both the MIKE and Weak-Side saw no additions to the game. Still, though, the Nittany Lions have eight of their total 11 linebackers in the game.
Into the secondary, there were two high-profile additions to the cornerback unit with five-star Daryus Dixson (77 overall) and four-star Xxavier Thomas (71 overall). This makes the only absences redshirt sophomore Donte Nastasi, a two-way player, and freshmen Jahmir Joseph and Joshua Johnson.
No safeties were added to the game, meaning four missed the cut. Also to note, special teams is unchanged with long snapper Andrew Dufault and freshman kicker Matthew Parker, still not in the game.