Explaining Penn State's general approach to NCAA Transfer Portal, potential of loaded 2024 class

Penn State made six additions in the transfer portal in this past cycle with several potentially key contributors as part of that class. They were all brought in on what they can add to the Nittany Lions as well as the opportunities that the program can provide to them in return.

BlueWhiteIllustrated’s Sean Fitz discussed the portal class for Penn State during Friday’s episode of ‘Andy Staples On3’. He began by noting the success that the program has had with transfers in recent years. That’s a fact that could suggest good things for this next group of new Nittany Lions.

“I think, in the transfer portal? What they’ve gotten in the last couple years has been those splash guys,” said Fitz. “They’ve gotten Chop Robinson, Arnold Ebiketie was fantastic. You’ve had guys that have come in, been not only starters but like All Big-Ten level players.”

The six additions for Penn State are CBs A.J. Harris (Georgia) and Jalen Kimber (Florida), WR Julian Fleming (Ohio State), IOL Nolan Rucci (Wisconsin), DE Jordan Mayer (Wisconsin), and K Chase Meyer (Tulsa). They make up the No. 21 portal class according to On3’s 2024 Team Transfer Rankings.

Harris is the top addition at No. 24 overall and the No. 2 CB. Fleming at No. 106, Rucci at No. 169, and Kimber at No. 288 are also all in the Top-300 with Fleming as a Top-25 wide receiver, Rucci as a Top-10 interior offensive lineman, and Kimber as the No. 32 corner per On3’s 2024 Portal Top Players.

It’s a group that has a chance to pop if they each pan out at their respective positions this fall. It’s also one that came together, especially in regards to Fleming and Rucci, because of former connections and the approach that the team has both in the portal and on the recruiting trail.

“That’s why you don’t burn bridges in recruiting,” said Fitz.

“I think that that has been the pitch from Penn State. Like, maybe you had that dream as a kid. Nolan Rucci is a legacy prospect. His dad played here, his dad was very good,” Fitz explained. “Maybe you had that dream at one point, maybe your dreams change at some point. But you can come back around and maybe you can thrive in that.”

In Fitz’s view, Penn State may not be the school that gets the player on the first go around. However, down the line and with the portal, he thinks that they can be the school who can bring them in as eventual transfers and succeed for themselves and the team.

“That, I think, is sort of the lesson in this portal era when you’re talking about coming back around in recruiting these guys,” said Fitz.

“They build these relationships and they’ve got a fantastic recruiting staff at Penn State. They build these relationships where you can potentially set yourself up for success later. I think that’s what they’ve done,” Fitz said. “These commitments that they’ve gotten this offseason from Fleming, from Rucci are sort of based in that. But based on, sort of, the American Dream type of way of going about this. That’s really campy but, like, you can be the best part of what you thought maybe, one day that you could be. I think that that’s the pitch here, even if they’re not going to be world beaters and five-star guys.”