Ken Talley, Penn State's final Class of 2022 addition, hits transfer portal
The Penn State Class of 2022 has lost its first member. Arriving to campus just days ahead of the start of preseason camp on Aug. 1, four-star edge rusher Ken Talley has since put his name in the transfer portal, as reported by On3 national reporter Matt Zenitz and retweeted by Talley himself. BWI has also confirmed the move.
The move means Talley’s Penn State career lasted just over two weeks.
Talley was a three-star according to the On3 rankings, finishing at No. 376 nationally in the On3 Consensus. Categorized as an edge rusher, he finished 36th in the position group according to the industry gauge, checking in at No. 11 among Pennsylvania’s prospects.
Along with his potential on the field, Talley was recognized as one of the Class of 2022’s biggest personalities off it as well.
“He has the biggest personality,” his head coach at Northeast, Eric Clark, told BWI last winter. “He loves having fun with the people around him from his family to his teammates and our staff. It’s contagious. He’s always got a big smile on his face. He plays with a passion that can’t be taught.”
Ken Talley’s journey to Penn State
A product of Philadelphia’s Northeast High School, Talley’s enthusiasm for Penn State had been ever-present even before his Sept. 8, 2020 commitment to the Nittany Lions.
Ultimately picking Penn State over offers from Arizona State and Tennessee among others that included Texas A&M, Michigan, Michigan State, Florida, and Kentucky, Talley acknowledged a close bond with defensive graduate assistant and Nittany Lion alumnus Deion Barnes.
Parlaying that enthusiasm into recruiting effort with other prospects for the program, Talley brought the same passion to the field at Northeast.
“I’ve never seen someone play with such passion. We’ve had great players come through our program and he’s special,” Clark said. “I remember a play when he chased down one of the top track stars in the area to save a touchdown. He does some freakish plays on the field. From hard hits to physical plays, running sideline-to-sideline, he’s a game-changer.”
Last year, Talley recorded 95 tackles, 20 tackles for a loss, and 12 sacks. He also added 11 quarterback hurries, a pair of forced fumbles, and a pass breakup.
Next steps
Talley’s defection puts a small dent into Penn State’s group of 28 scholarship newcomers to the program, making the number now 27.
Three graduate transfers have been added in Mitchell Tinsley, Hunter Nourzad, and Chop Robinson. Two newcomers are from the junior college ranks, including a former Northeast teammate of Talley’s, Tyrece Mills.
