Penn State’s offseason conversation has been dominated by Matt Campbell’s arrival, the flood of transfers, and how the new staff will come together once Week 1 rolls around. Most of the buzz on the edge has centered on Iowa State transfers Ikenna Ezeogu and Caleb Bacon, plus Colorado transfer Alexander McPherson. But while those names have grabbed the headlines, D’Anton Lynn has a few returning defensive ends who could matter in 2026 without much fanfare.
These are three edge rushers who spent their first NCAA season in Happy Valley and barely scratched the surface in terms of playing time. That doesn’t make them afterthoughts. It just means Penn State has some lesser-known pieces in the room who could still become useful.
Yvan Kemajou sits at the top of that list. He got on the field as a true freshman in 2025, missing only the three non-conference games before returning in Week 7 against Northwestern and appearing in every game from there through the Pinstripe Bowl against Clemson. At the time, interim head coach Terry Smith made a risky call by getting him back in the mix, but with the new five-in-five NCAA rule, it ended up working in Kemajou’s favor and Penn State’s too.
Kemajou finished last season with 13 tackles, five tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, one pass breakup, one pass defended, and one quarterback hurry across 11 games. His five tackles for loss ranked fourth on the team.
He also made one start as a true freshman, and ESPN recently included him among its 51 sleeper college football players of the season. Campbell told Adam Rittenberg that he was especially impressed with how Kemajou handled the challenge against Ohio State and Indiana.
His pass breakup and pass defended came in the Indiana game.
Max Granville is another name to keep in mind, even though injury kept him out in 2025. He redshirted as a true freshman in 2024 after appearing in seven games and recording one tackle, one pass breakup, and one pass defended.
Granville was one of three Nittany Lions initially picked for college football’s 2026 Comeback Player of the Year, along with Tony Rojas and Jeremiah Cooper. If he stays healthy, he should be in the defensive end mix this season.
Reid Kagy, Penn State’s director of football strength and conditioning, said earlier in the summer that he had been impressed with Granville’s work ethic and how he attacked his recovery, and Granville was not limited during fall camp.
LaVar Arrington II is the other returning end worth remembering. He played in seven games as a true freshman in 2025, with his first appearance coming after James Franklin was fired.
At that point, Arrington was still a linebacker, but he moved to defensive end when the Campbell era began. He was primarily a special teams contributor last season, and that role is likely where most of his reps will come from again in 2026.
Still, the door is open for more defensive snaps if he keeps developing, and Lynn has enough depth in the room to use players who earn it.
In Other News...
Former Penn State QB Just Made Cincinnati's Roster Decision Tougher
Sean Clifford gave the Bengals something to think about over the preseason, and he did it with the sort of steady showing that can make a backup quarterback case more complicated than anyone planned. The former Penn State signal-caller, now in his fourth NFL season, looked comfortable directing touchdown drives against the Philadelphia Eagles and generally made the most of his chances after arriving on Cincinnatis practice squad.
Still, the math in Cincinnati has not changed much as roster cutdown day approaches. Clifford was released by the Green Bay Packers in 2025 before landing with the Bengals, and even with a strong August, the expectation is that Cincinnati will carry only two quarterbacks on its 53-man roster, leaving Clifford on the outside of a decision he may have made tougher than the team wanted. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Just Gave Fans A New Reason To Be Proud
Beaver Stadium became the backdrop for something bigger than football this week, as Penn State hosted its first-annual Victory Day and opened the field to underprivileged children with disabilities for a day built around participation, celebration and community. The event included football activities and a turn ringing the Victory Bell, giving the children a chance to experience the program in a way that went well beyond a typical game-day setting.
Head coach Matt Campbell and players framed the day as an opportunity to give back while also learning from the families who took part. The plan is for Victory Day to grow naturally over time, but the central idea is already clear: keep the focus on creating a meaningful experience and making a positive impact in the community. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States New-Look O-Line Is Taking On Ryan Clantons Toughest Demand
Penn States 2026 offensive line is already shaping up as one of the more interesting position groups on the roster, and Ryan Clanton is setting the tone early. With a depth chart that blends Iowa State transfers Trevor Buhr and Will Tompkins with returnees Anthony Donkoh, Cooper Cousins, Malachi Goodman and Brock Riker, the unit has the look of a group still sorting out who fits where and how it all comes together.
What Clanton seems to want most, though, is not a clean label for each blocker but a room full of linemen who can handle more than one job and do it with force. That approach gives Penn State flexibility as it rebuilds up front, but it also puts a premium on how quickly the newcomers and holdovers can adapt to the same standard. The bigger question now is how far that versatility can go once the snaps start getting divided in earnest. [Read more 🡒]