This Penn State Nittany Lions coach is thrilled to add this player in the transfer portal.
The Penn State Nittany Lions entered the offseason knowing they had a whole lot of work to do after just completing one of the most disappointing campaigns in program history.
Penn State entered 2025 with national championship aspirations and started out 3-0, but lost six straight games and finished the season 7-6, settling for a win over Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl.
James Franklin was fired midway through the year, and Matt Campbell is now the new head coach in Happy Valley.
As expected, there has been a whole lot of roster turnover, so the Nittany Lions were very busy in the transfer portal this winter.
Penn State added 38 players in the portal overall, one of which has caught considerable attention from those in the know: former Texas State center Brock Riker.
Riker is a redshirt sophomore with three years of eligibility remaining, and Nittany Lions offensive line coach Ryan Clanton is over the moon that the team was able to land the Brock, Tx. native.
Penn State Nittany Lions helmet. Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images."It's like a freak show level of where his body-fat is," Clanton said, via 247 Sports. "He's got all the weight and muscles in the right part of his body. If we do this right, he could be one of the best at his position."
Riker stands 6-foot-4 and weighed 275 pounds last fall, but he has gained 10 pounds since then, and it seems like most — if not all — of that is muscle.
"He's super talented," Clanton added. "He is a natural at his position, the way that he can roll his hips and run through contact. He wants to win, he's about the team, he's a great addition. ... You could go out and get pretty much anybody you wanted at that position, and we really wanted him and what he's about, and the development process with multiple years with him."
Riker will have to battle fifth-year senior Dominic Rulli for the starting job, but based on how much Clanton is already raving about Riker, he may ultimately have the inside track to taking the field next fall.
Penn State will open spring practice next month.
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