Penn State portal updates: Tracking Nittany Lions going in, potential targets, more
The spring transfer portal window is open for football players across the country. Penn State is expected to have at least one player leave its roster via it. The Nittany Lions will likely look to add players, too. Graduates can enter the portal at any time. Undergraduates can go in now through April 30. It’s important to note that a player putting his name in the portal does not mean he must leave his current school. But, few end up returning once they do so. It’s also worth noting that an undergraduate player does not have to make his final decision by the end of the month. Instead, he just needs to be in the portal by then to be eligible next season.
Penn State position meetings underway
Penn State coach James Franklin was asked about the portal following the Blue-White game back on Saturday. His position coaches started meeting with all of their players Monday, and those will continue through midday Wednesday. It’s those conversations that will help determine who might move on and who feels good enough about their place on the depth chart to stick around for the 2024 season.
“To be honest with you, 99% of the time, what’s good for the individual is good for the team, and vice versa,” Franklin said. “So that’s the good thing that I feel good about as head coach. I can have these conversations and be honest. Because , he reality is more times than not, maybe not in the short term, maybe not at the time that they want it to be in their schedule in their mind, more times than not it is. We’ll include our leadership council in that process. We did that last week. We’ll ask them what they think we need and have them take ownership in those decisions as well and be comfortable with those decisions as well.
“You guys have heard me say this a ton of times over the last 10 years. For me to make the best decisions for our program, I want to hear from all the players and staff and coaches. And, that’s including decisions like this. But it’s a challenging time in college football. It’s challenging time for head coaches to make these types of decisions.”s
Which Nittany Lions are in the portal?
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Senior receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith is the first Nittany Lion to enter the portal. BWI and On3 reported last Friday that the Norfolk, Va., native was expected to transfer. He was not seen at last Tuesday’s open practice and also did not attend the Blue-White game. And, then he went into the portal on Monday.
What are the positions of need for Penn State?
Unlike in past years, Franklin did not outline what parts of the roster he and his staff hoped to improve following the spring game. Receiver is obviously one position group that could be added to. Help in the trenches will always be sought after, too. Linebacker could be a positon to keep an eye on, as well. Ultimately, Penn State will seek players who fit its culture and locker room and who could benefit the team in 2024 and beyond. That means no position is necessarily off-limits when it comes to searching for help in the portal.
Portal updates: April 16
2:03 p.m. — It continues to be a very quiet start to the portal window for PSU. But, another name who’s in and is a potential target is now former Pitt defensive end Dayon Hayes.
12:31 p.m. — We crossed into the lunchtime hour without a new Penn State portal entry. We’ll see if that changes throughout the rest of the day.
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11:38 — Auburn, Georgia, Texas A&M, Colorado, and West Virginia are the teams who have been in touch with Penn State transfer receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith, per On3’s Pete Nakos. ‘KLS’ hit the portal on Monday.
9:28 a.m. — On3’s Steve Wiltfong reports that Penn State is one of the teams to keep an eye on when it comes to former Rutgers defensive lineman Rene Konga. The 6-foot-4, 290-pound senior played end and defensive tackle for the Scarlet Knights. His time in Piscataway was stunted by injuries. Others teams who could be in the mix for Konga include Wake Forest, Kansas, Kentucky, Cincinnati and Miami, per Wiltfong. Konga has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
9:00 — As we start a new hour on the east coast, Penn State has not had any entries yet on Tuesday. Will that change in the hours ahead? It’s likely to. But, it should also be noted that position meetings are taking place today and tomorrow. So, ultimately, it may be a slower exodus, if one ever does materialize, than expected.
8:23 — Former Penn State quarterback Christian Veilleux is back in the transfer portal after just one season at Pittsburgh.
8:02 a.m. — Michigan receiver Karmello English is in. The Class of 2023 four-star has not yet reached his potential at the college level.
7:30 — It’s been a bit of a slow start, perhaps unsurprisingly, across the country. But, Indiana was the first school to have a bulk of players hit the portal:
