Pair of Penn State Defenders Enter Transfer Portal as Spring Window Opens

The spring transfer portal window opened on Wednesday, and a pair of Penn State defenders have entered their names in the mix. Ta’Mere Robinson, a redshirt sophomore linebacker, and redshirt freshman cornerback Jon Mitchell are each entering the portal, per On3’s Hayes Fawcett.

Robinson’s entree comes as a bit of a surprise. He tallied 11 tackles and 2 tackles for loss across 14 games this past season, and was expected to earn a boost in playing time with starting middle linebacker Kobe King off to the NFL. At February’s scouting combine, King mentioned Robinson’s name as a potential successor for his spot.

“That’s up in the air right now. But I would say guys like Keon Wiley, Ta’Mere Robinson, Anthony Speca,” King said. “Those guys really have learned a lot along their process and kept their head down and really developed throughout their time at Penn State. But really them being within LBU really set the standard and showed them how to get things done and how to do things the right way. But those guys are really the guys up next for that spot.”

The 6-foot-3, 231-pound Robinson was rated by 247Sports a four-star recruit and the No. 4-ranked prospect in Pennsylvania during the 2023 recruiting cycle. He was not named among linebackers who had caught the eye of defensive coordinator Jim Knowles, who addressed the local media after practice on Tuesday.

“I think Speca has really done well,” Knowles said. “Speca has really moved into an advanced role early, and he has shown to be a very instinctual and smart player. Keon Wylie has flashed to me lately.”

Mitchell, meanwhile, moves on after making five tackles in six games over his true freshman year. The Nittany Lions’ top defensive recruit during the 2024 cycle, Mitchell would have had to fight through a number of pieces to earn consistent playing time next fall. He leaves behind a deep cornerback room led by A.J. Harris, Elliot Washington II and Audavion Collins.