Penn State’s transfer portal nightmare became a full-blown reality on Friday as more than 20 players entered the portal within the first 24 hours of the window opening. Matt Campbell is inheriting a roster in absolute chaos as the Nittany Lions bleed talent at an alarming rate. 

The portal opened at midnight on Friday. And by the time the sun came up, King Mack, Ethan Grunkemeyer, Luke Reynolds, and a laundry list of other key contributors had already announced their intentions to leave.​​ King Mack was one of the first dominoes to fall. And it’s a devastating loss for a Penn State secondary that desperately needed leadership. 

The junior safety from Florida logged 458 snaps this season and finished fourth on the team with 58 tackles (26 solo), three pass breakups, an interception, and a quarterback hurry.  Not long after Mack’s announcement, defensive back Lamont Payne Jr. and offensive lineman Eagan Boyer followed suit.

Then there was the quarterback exodus that left Penn State’s depth chart in shambles. Ethan Grunkemeyer entered the portal with Virginia Tech emerging as the early favorite. Grunkemeyer completed 69.1% of his passes for 1,339 yards, eight touchdowns, and four interceptions in 2025, including a Pinstripe Bowl victory. And he’s got three years of eligibility remaining. 

Fellow quarterback Bekkem Kritza also entered the portal, leaving Matt Campbell with a quarterback room that consists of, well, not much. The offensive line took a massive hit, too, with TJ Shanahan Jr., J’ven Williams, and Alex Birchmeier all entering the portal alongside Boyer. On the receiving end, Penn State lost tight ends Joey Schlaffer and five-star recruit Luke Reynolds, plus wide receivers Anthony Ivey, Kaden Saunders, and Josiah Brown. Running back Cam Wallace also decided to test the market.​

The defensive departures were just as brutal. Penn State lost quality depth at nearly every position. Star freshman defensive end Chaz Coleman entered the portal along with fellow edge rushers Daniel Jennings, Zuriah Fisher, and Jaylen Harvey. Defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam, who was projected to be a starter in 2026, announced he’s leaving while remaining “open to returning” if Campbell can make the right pitch. 

The secondary got gutted beyond just Mack. Cornerbacks Elliot Washington II and AJ Harris both entered the portal, and safety Braz Thomas followed. The linebacker corps wasn’t spared either. Kari Jackson, Anthony Speca, and Keon Wylie have decided to explore other options. When you add it all up, Penn State is staring at a roster that loses more than 30 seniors to graduation and now another 20-plus players to the portal in a single day.​​

Campbell’s task is monumental. He has to rebuild a roster that just got decimated while also trying to establish his culture and offensive system in Happy Valley. The good news is that Penn State has the financial resources and brand power to make noise in the portal.

Campbell has already made it clear he plans to be aggressive with a bigger budget than he ever had at Iowa State. The portal window runs through January 16, and every day that passes without landing an impact transfer is another day that Penn State falls further behind Ohio State, Michigan, and the rest of the Big Ten elite. 

Campbell’s portal strategy

The good news for Penn State fans panicking about the roster exodus is that Matt Campbell actually knows how to navigate this chaos. At Iowa State, Campbell made a living turning two-star transfers and under-the-radar portal additions into All-Big 12 performers. He specifically pointed to wide receiver Jayden Higgins, who became the No. 34 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. 

“We have a process,” Campbell said during his introductory press conference at Penn State. “We know what we’re looking for in the transfer portal. We’re going to have to use that to continue to supplement our football team.” The difference now is resources. Athletic director Pat Kraft reportedly committed $30 million in NIL funding to football. This budget is roughly five times what Campbell had at Iowa State. 

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Iowa State’s transfer portal classes routinely ranked in the 80s nationally. That was because they couldn’t afford to compete for premium talent. But all of this changes in Happy Valley. Campbell can finally shop in the top aisle instead of bargain-hunting for hidden gems.​ His Iowa State track record suggests he’ll find value where others don’t. What remains to be seen is whether he can do it quickly enough to meet Penn State’s championship expectations.