James Franklin made it clear after the Blue-White Game how he feels about the linebacker room.
With the unexpected departure of Ta’Mere Robinson, who transferred to USC, and a lack of players with experience, Penn State’s going to look at the transfer portal.
“If there is a linebacker out there that wants to come and be a part of our program and play for LBU, the most historic linebacker program in the history of college football, there’s an opportunity here to join the room and compete,” Franklin said.
So, with the spring transfer portal window closed and players across the country searching for new homes, the Nittany Lions are on the hunt for answers to fill a thin room.
Here are some potential transfer portal targets at linebacker.
Amare Campbell, North Carolina
When it was announced that Amare Campbell was transferring from North Carolina, peer recruiting immediately commenced for Penn State.
Campbell, a Virginia native, had fellow Virginia native and linebacker Tony Rojas go to X, recruiting him to Penn State. Defensive tackle Zane Durant did the same thing on Instagram.
🦁🦁come home https://t.co/8d1qypPgRl
— Tony Rojas (@Tony_Rojas5) April 22, 2025
It looks like Campbell has mutual interest, as multiple reports have come in that he plans to take a visit to Penn State next weekend.
He’s coming off of a season where he tallied 76 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks and a forced fumble for the Tar Heels.
Mohamed Toure, Rutgers
Penn State is in need of some veteran linebackers, and it can look to a fellow Big Ten team in Mohamed Toure from Rutgers to get it. Multiple reports say he has scheduled a visit to check out the program.
Through four seasons at Rutgers, Toure posted 168 total tackles, five pass breakups, three forced fumbles and two interceptions. He didn’t suit up in 2024, as he suffered a season-ending injury.
Toure is a proven locker room presence, having been a captain for the Scarlet Knights for the past two campaigns. Additionally, he’s a known commodity nationally, having been selected for the Butkus Award watch list prior to his injury last year.
Toure is also the older brother of Penn State redshirt freshman safety Vaboue Toure, giving him a family connection within the program.
Justin Flowe, Arizona
Justin Flowe has played a lot of college football. After spending three seasons at Oregon and the past two years at Arizona, he is searching for his third team for his final year of eligibility.
Flowe was a highly-touted recruit coming out of Upland High School in California. He was a 5-star prospect, ranking as the No. 6 player nationally, No. 2 player in the Golden State and No. 1 inside linebacker in the country.
Entering the 2023 campaign, he was on the Butkus Award watch list and the Lott Impact Trophy watch list, as well as a preseason All-Pac-12 honorable mention. That year, he garnered 44 total tackles, two pass breakups and one forced fumble.
Last year, he only appeared in four games on special teams to preserve his redshirt. Despite not seeing the field on defense in 2024, Flowe would be an addition with a ton of upside if he can reach his potential at Penn State.
The Nittany Lions offered when he was in high school.
Harrison Taggart, BYU
Harrison Taggart is an intriguing linebacker out of BYU who has seen a ton of playing time the past two years.
He started his career at Oregon in 2022, appearing in three games without recording any stats. The past two years as a Cougar, Taggart notched 97 total tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble.
As a recruit coming out of Corner Canyon High School, he was the No. 377 player nationally, No. 36 overall linebacker and No. 6 player in Utah as a 4-star prospect.
He stands at 6-foot-1, 230 pounds, and is physically ready to compete right away at the Big Ten level.
Jayden McDonald, UConn
Jayden McDonald had a breakout year at UConn last season, accumulating 125 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, four pass breakups and one interception.
He started his career at Troy, spending four seasons as a Trojan. McDonald was teammates with wide receiver Devonte Ross for two seasons, who transferred to become a Nittany Lion in December.
McDonald wasn’t offered by Penn State at all, but has familiarity with Big Ten programs, having been committed to Rutgers, Iowa and Indiana at various points of his career before pursuing other opportunities.
He has played a lot of football over his five-year career and could be an immediate contributor in a Penn State linebacker room that needs guys with experience.
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