Penn State football’s most recent roster update features a handful of players no longer with the team who still have remaining eligibility. Generally speaking these players have opted not to use an extra year of eligibility granted to every player who was enrolled with a program during the 2020 COVID-19 shortened season. This is instead of players who have opted to either transfer or declare for the NFL Draft prior to the expiration of their eligibility.
Alternatively both draft eligible defensive tackle PJ Mustipher and safety Ji’Ayir Brown have announced their intentions to return to Penn State. Mustipher looking to bounce-back from an injury suffered midway through the season while Brown will look to be the lead man in a reloading secondary group.
Of the most notable names include interior offensive lineman and longtime starter Mike Miranda, receivers Cam Sullivan-Brown and Daniel George in addition to defensive tackle Fred Hansard. Offensive lineman Anthony Whigan is also not on the most recently updated roster. Former Florida State transfer cornerback A.J. Lytton is also no longer with the program according to the update.
Sullivan-Brown and George had found themselves the odd men out of the equation in 2021, although Penn State’s receivers group will look to find a replacement for standout Jahan Dotson and more depth throughout that position group. Sullivan-Brown had just four receptions last season while George was a stalwart on special teams but did not record a reception this past year. Neither appeared to be rising up the depth chart, especially with the continued rising star of Parker Washington and KeAndre Lambert-Smith in addition to incoming transfer Western Kentucky receiver Mitchell Tinsley.
All of these players except for George were announced on senior day.
So far this offseason running back Noah Cain is the biggest transfer portal departure – the Louisiana native recently announced his intentions to transfer to LSU. Penn State welcomes a handful of returning backs this year in addition to National Gatorade Player of the Year Nicholas Singleton.
