The Penn State Nittany Lions' biggest portal addition may very well be tight end Ben Brahmer
Matt Campbell simply cannot miss on the recruiting trail since becoming the Penn State head coach.
Once he re-laid the foundation of the program, he hit the trail hard, and the results have been truly insane. On Thursday, he added to the list.
Penn State's biggest get may very well be the No. 1 tight end in the transfer portal, Ben Brahmer, formerly of Iowa State.
Brahmer played for Campbell for the Cyclones and tested the portal before joining his old head coach in his new home, Happy Valley. Brahmer brings a serious matchup element to the table with his game.
He stands at 6'7", weighing in at 252 pounds, and is a near impossible player to guard who also stands out in the run game. Last year, Brahmer finished the year with 446 yards on 37 catches for six touchdowns.
While the numbers aren't going to blow you away, he is a true matchup nightmare and a player that, if utilized properly, could elevate the level of an offense significantly. Brahmer's best games in Ames came in a two-week stretch against Colorado and No. 11 BYU.
The Cyclones went 0-2 in those games, but Brahmer combined for 10 catches for 131 yards with longs of 26 and 24-yard catches. He didn't find the endzone in those two games, but he was a tough catch machine.
Brahmer had a three-game stretch at the end of last year where he snagged a touchdown pass. Furthermore, in six of the final seven games last year, Brahmer had a 20-plus-yard catch. He added another one in week one to make it seven games on the season, where he had an explosive play.
That is a massive game changer from the tight end position.
For Penn State, the Nittany Lions are going to love having Brahmer at the tight end position next year. First, this is yet another familiar face for Matt Campbell's program. He joins forces with over 20 other Iowa State transfers to try to elevate the Penn State program.
Even with the addition of Brahmer, Penn State is still the fourth-ranked team in the transfer portal rankings, which is an amazing spot to be.
They are fourth in the 2026 transfer portal ranking and sixth in the 2027 recruiting ranking. Matt Campbell will not be stopped on the recruiting trail.
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