For James Franklin and Penn State football, the portal takes away more than it gives. That is by design, as the program opts to focus on the development of its high school talent instead of relying heavily on the transfer portal.
Still, the Nittany Lions will monitor the portal as they have in the past, where they’ve found gems who went on to be great players at their second stop. But who could Penn State be looking for this time around?
Penn State transfer portal history:Players James Franklin has landed in the past
Penn State football transfer portal needs
The common response to this dilemma is wide receiver. The Nittany Lions have had an average passing game this season. Harrison Wallace III has pedestrian numbers compared to the conference overall, and Ohio State transfer Julian Fleming has been disappointing with less than 200 yards this season.
Whether it’s Drew Allar returning for his senior season or Beau Pribula’s time to shine, next year’s quarterback will need a legitimate top target outside the numbers. Penn State has been mentioned as one of the programs that could land top portal target Kevin Concepcion, a former ACC Rookie of the Year from NC State.
Another target that could be worth a look is Kansas State wideout Tre Spivey. The 6-foot-4 freshman earned an honorable mention for Big 12 Freshman of the Year.
Franklin has done well in getting defensive ends out of the portal. Chop Robinson came to Happy Valley after a year at Maryland and became an All-American. The same thing happened to Arnold Ebiketie, who exploded at Penn State after a career at Temple. Both are in the NFL now.
With Abdul Carter likely heading for the NFL Draft after the season, Penn State could address his departure by picking up a defensive end in the portal. History is on the program’s side.
With the transfer portal quickly approaching and becoming more prominent each year, Penn State football fans may have some questions about what it means for their beloved Nittany Lions. Here is a crash course on the transfer portal, how it works, and how Penn State could be involved.
What is the transfer portal?
The transfer portal is an avenue for collegiate student-athletes, from football to softball, to leave their current college or university and continue their athletic career at another school.
How college football transfer portal works
After deciding to leave their current school, players inform their compliance department that they would like to enter the portal. The department then enters their information into the portal database, which can be accessed by other schools’ coaches, administrators and compliance staff. Usually, the request is completed within 48 hours, and players don’t have to inform their current coach about plans to enter the portal. After entering, coaches from other schools can contact them without restrictions. Contacting beforehand is considered tampering, an NCAA violation.
Also, once a player enters the portal, the current school is not required to honor the roster spot past the current semester.
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