Josh Pate names Amare Campbell as Penn State's best transfer portal addition

Of their eight additions this offseason from the NCAA Transfer Portal, Penn State has had their trio of commitments at wide receiver discussed the most. However, Josh Pate has heard just as much about one of the other five, namely one who could now lead them on the defensive side of the ball.

Pate shared intel from fall camps around the country on ‘Josh Pate’s College Football Show’ on Sunday. He, when he got to the Nittany Lions, mentioned that he’s been hearing a lot about LB Amare Campbell, the transfer linebacker from North Carolina, from out of University Park.

“Penn State? Lot of scoop from Penn State,” said Pate.

“I will also tell you that we have heard great things about Amare Campbell,” Pate stated. “Could green dot him. He could be the playcaller there for Penn State. And, I mean that’s a team that’s really good defensively. Tony Rojas is there, expect a big year from him at linebacker. But, Amare Campbell? Was talking to some guys that were on the staff at North Carolina last year. Could not say enough good things about Amare Campbell. And so, that’s a guy that’s overlooked because of the wide receivers they went and got.”

Campbell is coming off a pair of underclassman seasons in Chapel Hill. While with UNC, Campbell posted 90 tackles, 13 being for loss, with 7.5 sacks, a pair of deflections, and a forced fumble and an interception apiece. That factors in a sophomore jump last season, where he had 76 total tackles, 11 for loss, along with 6.5 sacks, both his deflections, and his forced fumble, which, on their defense, had him tied for second or tied for second in tackles, tackles for loss, sacks, and forced fumbles.

However, after their coaching change from Mack Brown to Bill Belichick, Campbell entered his name into the portal in the spring, becoming the No. 2 LB, behind only Elo Modozie (Georgia), and No. 78 overall transfer per On3’s 2025 Top Transfer Portal Players. He’d go on to commit to the Nittany Lions in May as the highest-rated of their eight portal commitments across the two cycles this offseason.

Since then, Campbell has seemingly fit right in by all accounts out of Happy Valley. BlueWhiteIllustrated has noted his play amongst the linebackers in fall practice while also mentioned earlier in the offseason by James Franklin as well as other staff members like Chuck Losey. Simply put, the Nittany Lions’ defense, which has been among the nation’s best this past half decade and now coached by DC Jim Knowles, should have another key contributor in Campbell.

Again, Penn State will again have several names on that defense that make an impact this fall. As one of their newest members, though, Campbell could be one of their best both as a player and a leader from the middle.

“Amare Campbell? You’re going to see him – like, Oregon comes in there in week four, week five I think. Just remember that name because that’s a kid, by week five, I really, really think is gonna be a stalwart defensively for them,” said Pate. “And, you know, they’ve got a lot of them.”