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Penn State lineman JB Nelson picks transfer destination; where will he play next?

Greg Pickelby:Greg Pickel•about 15 hours•

GregPickel

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Offensive lineman JB Nelson (Credit: Steve Manuel | Blue White Illustrated)

Former Penn State offensive lineman JB Nelson has found his next college football home. The Pittsburgh, Pa., native entered the transfer portal on April 14 after leaving the Lions roster a few days earlier. Now, he is committing to Kansas State.

Nelson came to State College in 2022 following a couple of seasons at Lackawanna College in Scranton. He was often praised over the last three seasons for his abilities to play guard and tackle. He played in 31 games, including all 16 a year ago, and started eight contests in blue and white between 2022 and 2024. In 2025, he was battling sophomore Cooper Cousins and others to be a full-time starter at guard opposite Vega Ioane. However, after eight practices, the 6-foot-5, 325-pound blocker decided to look for another place to play his final college season at.

“He’s competing, he’s getting better, he’s out here right now, just working,” Penn State offensive line coach Phil Trautwein said before Nelson elected to move on. “He takes most of the ones, but also gets some twos because I want to rotate guys in. So he’s been doing both. But he’s a guy that’s versatile as well, as he has actually played tackle out there. He’s a guy that just works every single day, and he’s continued to work, and he’s fighting to make sure that gets that spot, or he doesn’t get it taken away, or he gets it, or whatever it is. So he is working his butt off.”

Nelson was the first Nittany Lion to leave after spring practice started. The spring transfer portal window opened April 16. It runs. through April 25. Penn State closes out spring practices with the Blue-White game on April 26.

Penn State transfer portal tracker

Penn State lost five players to the portal during the spring transfer window. During the winter window, which ran amid the team’s College Football Playoff run and then for five days after its loss in the semifinals, nine Nittany Lions moved on. Here’s where each ended up:

TE Jerry Cross: Memphis.
QB Beau Pribula: Missouri. 
S Tyrece Mills: UCONN
CB Cam Miller: Rutgers
WR Trey Wallace: Ole Miss
WR Omari Evans: Washington
DT T.A. Cunningham: JUCO
WR Mehki Flowers: Akron
WR Tyler Johnson: East Carolina

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