Penn State football will rebuild its roster like never before through the NCAA transfer portal.
The Nittany Lions and new head coach Matt Campbell must first replace an inordinate number of juniors and seniors leaving for the NFL.
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They then must account for one of the most depleted recruiting classes in memory.
And they also are losing a significant number of underclassmen (more than 25 and counting) because of the recent program turmoil, particularly the ongoing coaching transition ― firing James Franklin in October and hiring Campbell 54 days later.
Returning starting quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer heads the expected departure list, for now.
The transfer portal is an online database of athletes who have submitted requests to find a new program. Players can now come and go through this one-and-only, two-week transfer period (Jan. 2 through Jan. 16).
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All transfers are eligible to play immediately, and graduates can transfer at any time. Players are allowed an unlimited number of transfers throughout their college careers.
Dec 27, 2025; Bronx, NY, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer (17) warms up before the 2025 Pinstripe Bowl against the Clemson Tigers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
The Nittany Lions received significant transfer portal contributions this past season, including from linebacker Amare Campbell, safety King Mack and wide receivers Trebor Pena and Devonte Ross.
Here’s who’s coming and going for Penn State, the latest projections and announcements at the top of the list.
Penn State football players leaving via transfer portal
Jaxon Smolik, quarterback
The redshirt sophomore is the third PSU quarterback to enter the transfer portal, following starter Ethan Grunkemeyer and backup Bekkem Kritza, according to reports. like On3.
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Smolik, from Iowa, missed all of the 2024 season and the second half of 2025 to unspecified injuries.
Corey Smith, running back
The Penn State running back room is clearing out. Redshirt freshman Corey Smith will be the fourth Nittany Lion tailback leaving the program, following Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton to the NFL and Cam Wallace to the transfer portal.
Smith also will enter the portal, ESPN reported on Jan. 2.
The former 4-star recruit from Wisconsin, Smith played sparingly, though he pulled off a scintillating 78-yard run vs. Washington in the 2024 White Out. He played in only five games this past season, including starting the Pinstripe Bowl vs. Clemson, where he carried nine times for 17 yards.
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Lamont Payne, safety
Redshirt sophomore safety Lamont Payne will enter the transfer portal, according to multiple Jan. 2 reports.
Payne saw little field time during his three years in State College. The Pittsburgh-area native (Chartiers Valley High) He appeared in just seven games, including the first three in 2025.
King Mack, safety
Nov 8, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions safety King Mack (16) intercepts the ball during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
Safety King Mack is leaving Penn State, once again.
The rising senior from Florida will enter the transfer portal for the third time, according to national reports.
The rising senior and Florida native first left Penn State in the spring of 2024, transferring to Alabama. After one season there, he returned to State College where he was a key member of the secondary this past season.
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King totaled 58 tackles, broke up three passes and made a key interception late against No. 1 Indiana. He also returned kickoffs for the Lions.
Cam Wallace, running back
Redshirt sophomore running back Cam Wallace intends to enter the transfer portal, On.3 first reported on Jan. 2.
Wallace was an intriguing prospect out of Georgia, but he saw only limited action on the field, in part because of a season-ending injury in the 2024 season. At the time, he was the top backup to co-starters Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton.
Wallace played in only three games in 2025, carrying six times for 23 yards.
Eagan Boyer, offensive line
The redshirt freshman offensive lineman, who started the Pinstripe Bowl at left tackle, is entering the transfer portal, according to Jan. 2 reports, like CBS Sports.
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Eagan Boyer owned significant upside as an athletic, 6-foot-8 tackle. The North Carolina native played in eight games during the 2025 season, seeing his most action in the Dec. 27 victory over Clemson. He chose PSU over scholarship offers from Auburn, Tennessee and others coming out of high school.
Luke Reynolds, tight end
Sep 6, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Luke Reynolds (85) attempts to make a catch during the second quarter against the Florida International Panthers at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
Sophomore tight end Luke Reynolds, a former 5-star recruit, will enter the transfer portal, according to Jan. 1 reports, including Pete Nakos and On.3.
The sophomore, a converted quarterback in high school, became arguably the top tight end recruit in the nation. He was an impressive true freshman contributor in 2024 and was the Lions’ top tight end target for the first half of this past season before some struggles.
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The 6-foot-4, 253-pound Reynolds caught 26 passes for 257 yards in 2025 without a touchdown.
Reynolds is an early favorite to land at Virginia Tech with former PSU head coach James Franklin and tight ends coach Ty Howle.
Josiah Brown, wide receiver
New York receiver Josiah Brown will enter the transfer portal after two injury-filled seasons at Penn State, according to Jan. 1 reports.
Brown arrived at Penn State in 2024 after suffering a season-ending injury as a high school senior. He then suffered an undisclosed injury in August of 2025 that wiped away this past season.
Jven Williams, offensive line
Jven Williams, a former national recruit, intends to leave Penn State after three seasons, according to Jan. 1 reports.
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The redshirt sophomore was a prestigious 5-star recruit by some services but saw limited game reps in his PSU career. The Reading, Pa. native played in only two games during the 2025 season.
Jeff Exinor, wide receiver
Freshman wide receiver Jeff Exinor announced on Jan. 1 that he intends to transfer. The four-star recruit from the McDonogh School in Maryland did not log any statistics in his only season with the Lions.
TJ Shanahan, offensive line
TJ Shanahan announced on Jan. 1 that he will enter the transfer portal for the second straight year.
Shanahan, a redshirt sophomore guard and center, played just one year for PSU after transferring from Texas A&M. He started four games at guard and saw significant playing time as a backup, too, this past season.
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Ethan Grunkemeyer, quarterback
The Nittany Lions appear to be losing their returning starting quarterback.
Redshirt freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer, who started the final seven games of the 2025 season, intends to enter the transfer portal, according to Jan. 1 reports. Grunkemeyer improved steadily after taking over for the injured Drew Allar in midseason, completing 69 percent of his passes with eight touchdowns and four interceptions.
Grunkemeyer played his best in the Lions’ 22-10 Pinstripe Bowl victory on Dec. 27, completing 23-of-34 passes for a career-high 262 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. The Lewis, Ohio native and four-star recruit, will have three years of college eligibility remaining.
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Campbell and PSU could be eyeing a reunion with Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht, who announced that he would enter the transfer portal before Christmas.
Jaylen Harvey, defensive end
Redshirt freshman edge rusher Jaylen Harvey plans to enter the transfer portal after two promising seasons in State College.
Harvey, a former four-star recruit from Quince Orchard High in Maryland, played in five games in 2024 and a larger backup role this past season. He made his first career sack in the Pinstripe Bowl victory over Clemson.
Anthony Speca, linebacker
Penn State second-year linebacker Anthony Speca intends to enter the transfer portal, according to Dec. 31 reports.
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The former four-star recruit from Pittsburgh played in just four games on defense during the 2025 season. He made 14 tackles on defense and special teams during his two years in State College.
Xavier Gilliam, defensive tackle
Redshirt freshman Xavier Gilliam, a projected starter at defensive tackle in 2026, plans to enter the portal, which will be open Jan. 2 through Jan. 16, according to national reports, including On.3, Dec. 31.
Gilliam (6-foot-2, 300 pounds) was a three-star high school recruit out of Gaithersburg, Maryland. He has three seasons of eligibility remaining. He’s reportedly one of the strongest members of the team and should be highly pursued in the transfer market.
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He started but did not register any statistics in Penn State’s 22-10 Pinstripe Bowl victory over Clemson on Dec. 27.
Kaden Saunders, receiver
Oft-injured receiver Kaden Saunders, a redshirt junior, plans to enter the transfer portal this week, according to reports like On.3.
Saunders, a former prestigious four-star recruit, missed most of the 2024 season and all of 2025 due to undisclosed injuries. He logged 17 career receptions for 113 yards
Bekkem Kritza, quarterback
Freshman quarterback Bekkem Kritza will enter transfer portal this week before ever playing a down for the Nittany Lions, according to Dec. 30 reports, such as CBS Sports.
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Kritza (6-foot-5, 200 pounds) was one of the top high school quarterback recruits in Florida in the 2025 recruiting class. However, he dealt with unspecified injury issues during his one and only year in State College and was listed as “out” for all but three of PSU’s 13 games.
Kritza was well-traveled during his high school career, moving between schools in Colorado, California and Florida.
Keon Wylie, linebacker
Redshirt junior linebacker Keon Wylie, a key backup over the second half of 2025, will enter the transfer portal, according to a Dec. 29 report.
Wylie made 28 tackles over 13 games in 2025, including 2.5 for loss and a sack. He also was credited with three quarterback pressures.
Nov 15, 2025; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Penn State linebacker Keon Wylie (32) tackles Michigan State quarterback Alessio Milivojevic (11) as the ball is thrown at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images
Anthony Ivey, wide receiver
Redshirt junior Anthony Ivey, a little-used backup receiver, will enter the transfer portal, according to a Dec. 29 report.
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Ivey, a former four-star recruit from Lancaster, Pa., made just one reception during his PSU career — a 15-yard catch vs. Kent State during the 2024 season.
Daniel Jennings, defensive end
Freshman defensive lineman Daniel Jennings plans to enter the transfer portal, according to Dec. 24 reports, including 247Sports.
The four-star recruit from West Virginia re-classified from the 2026 cycle to join Penn State last spring. He did not see any playing time this past fall.
Jennings is the second edge rusher the Lions are expected to lose to the transfer portal, following Chaz Coleman.
Kari Jackson, linebacker
Backup linebacker Kari Jackson announced his intentions to enter the transfer portal on Dec. 23.
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The redshirt freshman from Michigan did not record any statistics this past season. Injury issues cost him his senior season of high school and also hampered him this past fall.
AJ Harris, cornerback
The junior cornerback is no longer on the Penn State roster, as of Dec. 22, and is expected to enter the transfer portal, according to reports, including Blue-White Illustrated.
This will be the second transfer for the former five-star recruit, who left Georgia for Penn State in 2024. He earned All-Big Ten honorable mention this past season after making 33 tackles with just one pass breakup and a fumble recovery. He earned third-team all-conference honors in 2024.
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Alex Birchmeier, offensive lineman
Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Alex Birchmeier is expected to enter the transfer portal. The 6-foot-5, 312-pound backup announced his intentions on Dec. 19
Birchmeier played very limited minutes in 26 games during his three seasons at Penn State. He did not participate in the Pinstripe Bowl.
He certainly was a big-time recruit, though. He was the No. 1-rated high school player in Virginia, the nation’s No. 2 interior offensive lineman and the No. 54 overall prospect, according to 247Sports.
Chaz Coleman, defensive end
Defensive end Chaz Coleman announced his plans to enter the transfer portal on Dec. 18, a few weeks after concluding a most promising true freshman season. Though he battled with injuries, Coleman showed impressive flashes of pass rushing dominance and high-level athleticism.
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The Warren, Ohio, native recorded eight total tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries in nine games.
The former four-star recruit figures to be a hot commodity on the transfer market, starting with his home state Ohio State Buckeyes.
Elliot Washington, cornerback
Junior cornerback Elliot Washington plans to enter the NCAA Transfer portal, CBS Sports and other outlets reported on Dec. 11. As a backup in 2025, Washington made 18 tackles and defended four pass defenses with an interception. He was a key reserve for three seasons.
Joey Schlaffer, tight end
STATE COLLEGE, PA – SEPTEMBER 13: Joey Schlaffer #18 of the Penn State Nittany Lions catches a pass for a touchdown in front of Anthony Hawkins #27 of the Villanova Wildcats during the second half at West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium on September 13, 2025 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Redshirt sophomore tight end Joey Schlaffer left the team in early November and expects to enter the transfer portal. He was the team’s first departure after head coach James Franklin was fired in mid-October.
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Schlaffer appeared in just three games this past season. He made his only college catch and touchdown in the blowout victory over Villanova on Sept. 13, a 19-yard pass play from quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer.
Penn State football player joining via transfer portal
This section will be updated once announcements are made.
Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Penn State football transfer portal tracker: Latest news, developments
