UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State football, led by head coach Matt Campbell, announced several newcomers to the 2026 roster on Friday with a mix of transfers and high school signees.
The Nittany Lions welcomed 39 transfer student-athletes. The group includes two quarterbacks, two running backs, five wide receivers, three tight ends, seven offensive linemen, seven defensive linemen, five linebackers, six defensive backs, one kicker and one punter.
Thirty-four of the 39 transfers come from Power 4 conference programs, including 28 from the Big 12, three from the Big Ten, two from the ACC and one from the SEC.
Fourteen transfers are senior or redshirt senior eligibility, while seven are juniors/redshirt juniors, 10 are sophomores/redshirt sophomores and eight are redshirt freshmen.
Penn State also brought in 11 high school signees. The group includes two quarterbacks, one running back, one wide receiver, one offensive lineman, one defensive lineman, four defensive backs and one athlete.
Pennsylvania and Nebraska lead the group with three signees from each state. PSU also signed one player each from Colorado, Georgia, New Jersey, Texas and Virginia.
2026 NEWCOMER ROSTER (As of January 16)
Transfers
Name Pos. Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School/Last School
Hunter Albright OL R-Fr. 6-5 310 Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg/Saint Francis
Cooper Alexander TE R-So. 6-4 245 Washington, Okla./Washington HS/Iowa State
Caleb Bacon LB R-Sr. 6-4 240 Lake Mills, Iowa/Lake Mills/Iowa State
Rocco Becht QB R-Sr. 6-1 210 Wesley Chapel, Fla./Wiregrass Ranch/Iowa State
Benjamin Brahmer TE Sr. 6-7 255 Pierce, Neb./Pierce/Iowa State
Cael Brezina LB Jr. 6-3 235 Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North/Iowa State
Karon Brookins WR R-Fr. 6-5 200 Pennsauken, N.J./Timber Creek/Iowa State
Trevor Buhr OL R-Jr. 6-4 325 Washington, Mo./Washington HS/Iowa State
Gabe Burkle TE R-Sr. 6-6 255 Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Prairie/Iowa State
Alijah Carnell DL R-So. 6-5 290 Henderson, Nev./Bishop Gorman/Iowa State
Jeremiah Cooper DB R-Sr. 6-0 195 El Paso, Texas/Andress/Iowa State
Omarion Davis DB So. 5-11 185 Charlotte, N.C./Indian Land/Boston College
Kooper Ebel LB Sr. 6-4 235 Hartley, Iowa/Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn/Iowa State
Brett Eskildsen WR Jr. 6-1 200 Frisco, Texas/Centennial/Iowa State
Ike Ezeogu DL R-Sr. 6-5 285 Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs/Iowa State
Chris Fileppo LB So. 6-4 208 Doylestown, Pa./LaSalle College HS/West Virginia
Carson Hansen RB Sr. 6-2 220 Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville South/Iowa State
Tyshon Huff OL R-Jr. 6-4 300 Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton HS/Tiffin
Vaea Ikakoula OL R-Fr. 6-3 355 Laie, Hawaii/West (Utah)/Iowa State
Keith Jones Jr. WR R-So. 6-4 185 New Orleans, La./Edna Karr/Grambling
John Klosterman LB R-Sr. 5-11 230 Iowa City, Iowa/City/Iowa State
Kuol Kuol II OL R-Fr. 6-6 290 Centerville, Ohio/Centerville/Iowa State
Alex Manske QB R-Fr. 6-3 225 Algona, Iowa/Algona/Iowa State
Ibn McDaniels DB R-So. 6-3 205 Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth/Syracuse
Alexander McPherson DL So. 6-6 240 Stuart, Fla./IMG Academy/Colorado
Marcus Neal Jr. DB Jr. 6-1 215 Kansas City, Mo./Roytown South/Iowa State
Armstrong Nnodim DL R-So. 6-2 290 Mesquite, Texas/John Horn/Oklahoma State
Jamison Patton DB Sr. 6-2 210 Des Moines, Iowa/Ankeny/Iowa State
James Peoples RB Jr. 5-10 206 San Antonio, Texas/Veterans Memorial/Ohio State
Brock Riker OL R-So. 6-4 285 Brock, Texas/Brock/Texas State
Zay Robinson WR R-Fr. 5-11 185 Des Moines, Iowa/West Des Moines Valley/Iowa State
Cristiano Rosa K R-Sr. 5-11 206 Shelton, Conn./Shelton/CCSU/James Madison
Chase Sowell WR R-Sr. 6-3 210 Humble, Texas/Atascocita/Colorado/ECU/Iowa State
Hunter Sowell DB R-Fr. 5-10 170 Humble, Texas/Atascocita/Iowa State
Siale Taupaki DL R-Sr.+ 6-4 310 East Oakland, Calif./Oakland/UCLA
Nathan Tiyce P So. 6-5 230 Gerringong, Australia/Tocal College/Mississippi State
Will Tompkins OL R-Fr. 6-5 300 Cedar Falls, Iowa/Cedar Falls/Iowa State
Dallas Vakalahi DL Jr. 6-2 318 West Valley, Utah/West/Utah
Keanu Williams DL R-Sr. 6-5 320 Clovis, Calif./Clovis/Oregon/UCLA
Signees
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School
Christian Askew DB 6-4 185 Kathleen, Ga./Veterans
Mason Bandhauer OL 6-6 260 Fort Collins, Colo./Fort Collins
Tyrell Chatman DB 6-2 180 Lincoln, Neb./North Star
Kase Evans QB 6-3 200 Lexington, Texas/Lexington
Peyton Falzone QB 6-5 210 Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth
Jackson Ford DL 6-4 240 Phoenixville, Pa./Malvern Prep
Amarion Jackson ATH 6-2 185 Omaha, Neb./Millard South
D’Antae Sheffey RB 5-11 195 State College, Pa./State College Area
Ben Whitver WR 6-2 190 Powhatan, Va./Powhatan
Bryson Williams DB 6-4 180 Omaha, Neb./Westside
Josiah Zayas DB 6-2 190 Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway Twp
