The Penn State Nittany Lions and head coach Matt Campbell received some positive news regarding a veteran tight end on Tuesday.
After the mass exodus of recruits and former players this offseason, newly-hired head coach Matt Campbell and the Penn State Nittany Lions received some positive news days before the new year.
According to a social media post on Tuesday afternoon, Penn State tight end Andrew Rappleyea has officially decided to return to State College for the 2026 college football season.
Rappleyea, a former four-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class, was regarded as a promising receiving threat upon graduating from high school. The Milton, MA native was the No. 3 prospect in the state of Massachusetts, as well as the No. 6 tight end in his class, according to 247Sports' Composite.
In his recent announcement post, Rappleyea claimed that his last three seasons with the program have been “nothing but a blessing” and that he looks forward to building the program under Campbell.
“This place is extremely close to my heart,” Rappleyea wrote. “The past three years have been nothing but a blessing for me and my family. I look forward to building this [program] with Coach Campbell, Coach Houser, and my brothers in the locker room.”
Unfortunately for Rappleyea, he would not see much action in his first two seasons with the program after taking a redshirt year in 2023. And in 2024, the Nittany Lions’ tight end room was dominated by former Penn State star Tyler Warren, who would eventually become the No. 14 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
With Warren out of the picture, Rappleyea was set for a much larger role this season on offense and was able to carve out a role in 2025.
In his eight games played this year, Rappleyea finished with 20 catches for 180 yards and three touchdowns. This included a solid five catches, 18 yards, and one touchdown performance in the team’s bowl game matchup against the Clemson Tigers.
Looking at the potential tight end room for Campbell and the Nittany Lions in 2026, Rappleyea may have a clear path to becoming the program’s top tight end next season. While it remains unclear whether or not Luke Renyolds will enter the transfer portal and potential follow former head coach James Franklin, Rappleyea provides extra security at the position for Penn State next year.