Penn State’s summer checklist is loaded with more than just the obvious questions about a roster that features 55 new players and an almost entirely new coaching staff. The bigger picture is messy enough. But the real intrigue sits a layer deeper, in the individual position rooms that will decide how quickly this thing comes together before the Sept. 5 opener against Marshall.
At quarterback, everything starts with Becht. Matt Campbell is building the offense around a three-year starter who has already won 26 games in three seasons at Iowa State and did it while dealing with injuries to himself and teammates.
Penn State’s strength staff spent the offseason trying to make Becht more durable, and the early signs have been encouraging. His left shoulder, which had offseason surgery, appears to be in good shape.
He even threw medicine balls at Penn State’s recent Lift For Life event and looked good doing it.
Still, the margin for error is tiny. Penn State needs Becht at his best if it wants to get to 10 wins, and the quarterback depth chart behind him is the clearest weak spot on the roster. The Nittany Lions are going only as far as a healthy Becht can take them.
The backfield gives Penn State more options, and maybe even a late-season surprise. Carson Hansen is back as a starter, James Peoples arrives as a promising second back after transferring from Ohio State, and Quinton Martin Jr. is in the mix as a potential third runner.
Martin could end up being the No. 1 by the end of the year. Penn State won’t use the old Kaytron Allen-Nicholas Singleton style of series-by-series rotation, but all three backs should see the field early.
Martin flashed at the Pinstripe Bowl, then added weight this offseason without losing his speed. He looks like the long-term name to watch.
Receiver is another room that feels deeper than it has to prove to be. Chase Sowell and Brett Eskildsen were productive with Becht at Iowa State, and Sowell is hoping to put a rough stretch behind him this season.
Both bring speed, separation ability and dependable hands, with Eskildsen standing out in particular for how fast he is. Becht already knows what each of them does well and where they can be attacked.
The younger names matter here too. Sophomore Koby Howard said this offense will feature him more, and Amarion Jackson is viewed as one of the nation’s top freshmen. Penn State may not have a first-team All-Big Ten receiver, but the room as a whole looks stronger.
Tight end might be the most interesting part of the offense. Ben Brahmer is the best offensive player Penn State brought in from Iowa State, and he should be a central piece for coordinator Taylor Mouser.
Mouser has already been in touch with friend Nate Scheelhaase, the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive coordinator, for ideas on creative ways to use the position. Brahmer won’t be alone, either.
Gabe Burkle missed a lot of games last season but could be the second-best offensive player Campbell brought from Iowa State. Andrew Rappleyea can stress defenses when healthy, and Cooper Alexander was a top positional recruit at Iowa State.
That gives Mouser four tight ends who can make 12 personnel a real problem.
Up front, the left tackle spot carries real uncertainty. Penn State has enjoyed strong play there in recent years with Olu Fashanu and Drew Shelton, and Shelton’s departure as a fourth-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys might be the most underrated loss on the line.
Redshirt freshman Malachi Goodman is the favorite to replace him, bringing the biggest blend of upside and unknown on the roster. Goodman was Penn State’s lone five-star recruit in the 2025 class, but he didn’t take a snap last season.
Offensive line coach Ryan Clanton likes the talent. Until September, that’s all it is.
The defensive line is where the transfer portal may matter most. Campbell added seven transfer defensive linemen, including five tackles, and the interior group is expected to be driven by Armstrong Nnodim from Oklahoma State and Siale Taupaki and Keanu Williams, both from UCLA. D’Anton Lynn wants disruptive tackles who can change the picture inside.
Penn State also needs an edge rusher to step forward. The leading candidates are returnees Max Granville and Yvan Kemajou, along with transfers Alexander McPherson and Ike Ezeogu. The problem is simple: there are still a lot of unknowns there.
At linebacker, the defense is built around Rojas. He’ll be about 10 months removed from tearing his ACL when camp opens in August, and the early reports have been positive.
He looked like a full participant in Lift For Life drills, which is a strong sign. With the defensive line in front of him, Rojas and fellow linebackers Caleb Bacon and Cael Brezina should have room to make plays.
If Rojas is healthy, he’s the top playmaker in that group.
The secondary might be Penn State’s best unit on paper. Cornerbacks coach Terry Smith brought back his top talent, including Zion Tracy, Audavion Collins and Daryus Dixson.
Tracy might be the best overall football player on the team. Campbell also added his top two safeties from Iowa State in Marcus Neal Jr. and Jeremiah Cooper, who is a two-time All-Big 12 player coming back from a torn ACL.
Right now, that looks like one of the Big Ten’s best secondaries, and it gives Lynn a major lift in his first year as coordinator.
Special teams has one spot settled and another still open. Ryan Barker is lined up to kick.
Punter, though, should be a real battle. Mississippi State transfer Nathan Tiyce was the only punter on the roster during spring drills, but freshman Lance Tenbrock will join the competition in camp.
Tenbrock originally signed with Campbell at Iowa State before following him to Penn State, and he’ll have a chance to win the job right away.
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