By Mark Pszonak
With action in the transfer portal slowing down, it is time to take a closer look at how each P4 school did during this cycle. Up now are the Penn State Nittany Lions
The skinny: Head coach James Franklin has done a fantastic job retaining top talent since the transfer portal began to go nuclear a few years ago. And overall, Penn State’s departure numbers have been on the low end during this time. With that, the Nittany Lions also haven’t been overly aggressive in the portal, annually only bringing in a few players who they hope will plug a hole or two. That was once again the philosophy during this cycle, as some depth concerns were eased in the secondary, a starter was brought in on the offensive line and a wide receiver was added who many in Happy Valley hope can help spark the passing attack.
Total # entries into portal: 16
Total # of scholarship players who entered portal: 13
Number of scholarship players who withdrew: 0
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Key losses: DB King Mack (Alabama)
Key additions: DB A.J. Harris (Georgia), DB Jalen Kimber (Florida), OL Nolan Rucci (Wisconsin), WR Julian Fleming (Ohio State)
Final thoughts: The Nittany Lions pinpointed a few important needs and hope that the few players they added during this cycle are enough to make an impact in 2024. The secondary received a much-needed boost with the additions of both Jalen Kimber and A.J. Harris. Kimber brings plenty of SEC experience, while Harris is a younger talent who arrives in Happy Valley after almost committing to Penn State out of high school. On offense, the passing game needed another weapon, which the Nittany Lions hope that Julian Fleming will become, while the line added a likely starter with Nolan Rucci. As usual, this season at Penn State won’t hinge on new transfers, but they also have the potential to become important pieces to the puzzle.
