Where will every Penn State football transfer suit up this fall?

Penn State, like every other college football program, has lost players to the NCAA transfer portal since it came into existence in October of 2018. Some of the defections are no longer playing college football. Others still are. Where will each of them suit up in 2023? Below, we offer a look at both sides of the ball and include as much information about their season outlook as possible.

Where Penn State transfers will play this fall: Offense

QB Christian Veilleux, Pittsburgh: After spending 2022 as the Nittany Lions’ third-string passer, Veilleux left Penn State with hopes of starting for the Panthers. But, he will play second fiddle, at best, with Phil Jurkovec set to start under center for the ACC program.

QB Ta’Quan Roberson, UCONN: Roberson left Penn State after the 2021 season. He won the Huskies’ starting quarterback job in 2022 but his season ended almost as soon as it began when he suffered an ACL tear in the opener. He will be the team’s backup this year after losing out on the first-team job to Maine transfer Joe Fagnano.

QB Micah Bowens, Charlotte: Bowens did not see game action during one season at Penn State in 2020. He also did not hit the field during two years at Oklahoma. He will again be either a backup or the third-string option with the 49ers.

RB Devyn Ford, Notre Dame: Ford left Penn State midway through the 2022 season. It took him until May 2023 to end up with the Fighting Irish. Still, despite missing spring practice, the veteran back from Virginia has impressed media onlookers in South Bend this summer. Jack Soble of BWI sister site Blue&Gold calls Ford one of Notre Dame’s top five camp standouts on offense.

“Among the four-man conglomeration of reserve Irish running backs, Penn State graduate transfer Devyn Ford had arguably the best fall camp,” Soble writes.

“He’s a versatile back, probably more so than junior starter Audric Estimé. Although Estimé worked to improve his pass blocking and receiving ability and has shown some progress there, Ford really stood out in those areas.”

Ford carried one time for two yards in the Fighting Irish’s 42-3 win over Navy.

RB Keyvone Lee, Mississippi State: Lee had productive moments during his time in blue and white. But, seeking a fresh start and return to the south, he left the Lions for the Bulldogs after the 2023 season. He joins a deep role in Starksville and will likely have a rotational role similar to the one had had at Penn State.

RB Caziah Holmes, Florida State: Holmes’ speed has never been in question. But, he was not going to crack the depth chart at Penn State. So, he left before the 2022 season and moved back to the Sunshine State. After sitting out in 2022, Holmes has a chance to contribute for the Seminoles in 2023, and maybe even more than originally expected.

RB Noah Cain, LSU: Cain left Penn State following the 2021 season. In 2022, he rushed 76 times for 409 yards and 10 touchdowns as a Tiger. The LSU backfield is deep in 2023, but Cain will have a sizable role again. He does not currently project as the starter, however.

WR Jaden Dottin, Toledo: Dottin was unable to crack the Nittany Lions receiver rotation during three seasons at Penn State. So, he moved on to the MAC and the Rockets. It is not immediately where he stands on the team’s Week 1 depth chart.

WR Daniel George, Akron: Now a redshirt senior, George left PSU following the 2021 season to pair up with former Lions offensive coordinator and current Zips head coach Joe Moorhead at Akron. He started all 12 games last year, finishing with 67 receptions for 793 yards and two touchdowns.

WR TJ Jones, UAB: Jones never played at Penn State. He transferred to UAB for the 2021 season. Over two years there, he’s caught 37 passes for 281 yards and a touchdown. He will be a backup as a graduate student this fall.

OL Jimmy Christ, Virginia: After three seasons in State College, Christ moved back to his home state to join the Cavaliers. He is not expected to start for the ACC team in 2023, and his role is unclear ahead of the first depth chart release.

Where Nittany Lion transfers will play this fall: Defense

DE Rodney McGraw, Louisville: McGraw, an Illinois native, spent a couple of unproductive seasons at Penn State before becoming the first ex-Penn State player to join the Cardinals back in December. One media depth chart projection does not have him as part of the two-deep.

DE Ken Talley, Michigan State: A Philadelphia native, Talley transferred from PSU to MSU last September and sat out during the 2022 season. He is now fighting for rotational reps with the Spartans.

DT Fatorma Mulbah, West Virginia: Mulbah, a central Pa., native, came to Penn State with all the strength in the world. But, his power did not translate to consistent reps. So, he moved on to the Mountaineers and will travel with them to State College for Saturday’s matchup with the Nittany Lions. He is expected to be part of the defensive tackle rotation but won’t start.

DT Cole Brevard, Purdue: Brevard, an Indiana native, starts his second season with the Boilermakers. A year ago, he was credited with 10 tackles and played in all 14 games. This fall, he is expected to be an oft-used backup at nose tackle.

DL Joseph Appiah Darkwa, Temple: Darkwa joined the Owls ahead of the 2022 season after a short stint in State College. He had one tackle in one game. His 2023 role is unclear.

DT Judge Culpepper, Toledo: Culpepper, who is in his final collegiate season, has carved out a nice career with the Rockets. After playing in 22 games at Penn State between 2018 and 2020, the defensive tackle moved to the MAC. He started all 13 games in 2021 and made 43 tackles with three sacks. A year ago, he had 44 stops. He is a first-team preseason All-MAC pick per CFN and Athlon Sports and a second-team choice by Phil Steele.

LB Jamari Buddin, New Mexico State: Few expected Buddin’s time at Penn State to end with a transfer during his recruiting days. Even fewer figured his next stop would be at New Mexico State. Yet, that’s where Buddin will suit up in 2023 with a few of his old high school teammates. The Aggies opened the season against UMass last Saturday. Buddin did not play.

LB Lance Dixon, West Virginia: Dixon is in a fight for the Mountaineers’ first-team hybrid linebacker/safety role. He spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons at Penn State before going to West Virginia. There, he’s started nine of 19 career games over two seasons. He made 22 tackles in 2022.

CB Storm Duck, Louisville: Duck spent only a few months at Penn State after transferring in from North Carolina. He left after spring practice and moved on to the Cardinals. There is no indication that he will be ineligible to play this year, even if other two transfer players across the sport have had waivers for immediate eligibility denied by the NCAA.

CB Jeffrey Davis Jr., Stony Brook: Davis Jr., moved on from Penn State at the end of the 2022 season. It’s unclear what role he will fill for the CAA program in 2023.

CB Marquis Wilson, Purdue: Wilson played both cornerback and receiver at Penn State. He left following the 2022 season after being unable to land a starting role at either spot. Now with the Boilermakers, he aims to crack the Big Ten’s team cornerback rotation in 2023.

S Tyler Rudolph, UMass: Rudolph left Penn State following the 2021 season and now enters year two with the Minutemen. In 2022, he spread 62 tackles, two forced fumbles, and two interceptions over 12 games. He is a starter at safety for UMass in 2023 and opened the season Saturday against New Mexico State. He had a team-high eight tackles in his team’s 41-30 win.