The Penn State Nittany Lions have officially lost a former highly-touted prospect to a fellow Big Ten Conference school in the transfer portal.
As the transfer portal drama lingers throughout this offseason, the Penn State Nittany Lions and newly-hired head coach Matt Campbell continue to revamp the program’s roster for the 2026 college football season.
According to On3Sports’ Hayes Fawcett, former Penn State tight end Andrew Olesh has officially committed to the Oregon Ducks after recently entering the transfer portal.
Olesh, a former four-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, was one of the highest-rated signees for the Nittany Lions in the previous cycle. The talented playmaker was the No. 1 prospect in the state of Pennsylvania, as well as the No. 3 tight end in the cycle, per 247Sports’ Composite.
Before ultimately deciding on Penn State, Olesh was originally committed to the University of Michigan. However, former head coach James Franklin was quick to flip the in-state prospect after having him on campus for an unofficial visit during the 2024 season. At 6-foot-5, 226 lbs., it was clear that Olesh already possessed an elite frame for the tight end position at the college level.
Unfortunately for the young offensive weapon, he was buried behind multiple tight ends on the depth chart during his freshman season in 2025, including sophomores Luke Reyonlds and Andrew Rappleyea. Both pass catchers were highly-touted recruits coming out of high school, and with their previous experience at the college level, Olesh was unable to see the field.
To make matters worse, Rappleyea announced on Dec 30 that he will remain with the program despite the arrival of Campbell and his new regime.
With Reynolds hitting the portal shortly after the news, there was a chance that the former four-star prospect could stay with the Nittany Lions for the 2026 season. But this was quickly put to rest once Iowa State tight end Benjamin Brahmer committed to Penn State.
Looking ahead at the Nittany Lions’ tight end room ahead of the 2026 season, Campbell is set to roll out a combination of Brahmer and Rappleyea.
Brahmer was a key piece of Campbell’s offensive attack with the Cyclones last year, recording 446 receiving yards and six touchdowns on 37 receptions. At 6-foot-7, 255 lbs., the veteran pass catcher will be a familiar face for newly-signed quarterback Rocco Becht next season.