Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1543434
4 4 M A R C H 2 0 2 6 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / T H E C L A S S O F 2 0 2 6 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / John Klosterman | LB R-Sr. | 5-11 | 230 Iowa State | Iowa City, Iowa On3 Transfer Portal Ranking: N/R Rivals Industry Ranking (2022): N/R Klosterman started his career at Iowa State as a walk-on in 2022. He missed most of the 2024 campaign with a season- ending injury suffered in the fourth game of the year and could end up having two seasons of eligibility at Penn State. Klosterman served as a reserve linebacker and special teams contributor last year, seeing action in seven games. In his career to date, the Iowa City native has played in 24 games, recording 18 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. Ibn McDaniels | CB R-So. | 6-3 | 205 Syracuse | Elizabeth, N.J. On3 Transfer Portal Ranking: HHH, No. 274 CB Rivals Industry Ranking (2024): HHH, No. 124 CB McDaniels was no stranger to PSU's previous staff, having attending the 2023 White Out camp. However, at the time, he was expected to spend a year at a prep school to improve aca- demically. With hard work, he ended up not having to do that, but the Lions chose not to extend an offer. McDaniels redshirted as a freshman at Syracuse, then to- taled 78 snaps at cornerback in the Orange's first four games last fall, only to see his role diminish as the season went on. Including special teams, he played in 11 games and totaled 2 tackles. After entering the portal, McDaniels earned interest from Temple, Rutgers, Kentucky and Connecticut. He took an official visit to Philadelphia to check out the Owls but ulti- mately chose Penn State. Alexander McPherson | DE So. | 6-6 | 240 Colorado | Stuart, Fla. On3 Transfer Portal Ranking: HHH, No. 112 DE Rivals Industry Ranking (2025): HHH, No. 88 DE McPherson made 10 game appearances for Colorado last year, finishing his debut season with 16 tackles, including 10 unas- sisted stops, while adding 6 quarterback hurries. He also con- tributed on special teams and blocked a punt against Delaware. Before joining the Buffaloes, McPherson was a three-star prospect coming out of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. He had a team-high 14 tackles for loss, 9 sacks and 6 quarterback hurries as a senior. Marcus Neal Jr. | S Jr. | 6-1 | 215 Iowa State | Kansas City, Mo. On3 Transfer Portal Ranking: HHHH, No. 7 S Rivals Industry Ranking (2024): HHH, No. 89 S Neal was one of Iowa State's top defensive players last sea- son, tying for the team lead with 77 tackles. He also had 2 interceptions, 3 pass deflections, a forced fumble and a sack. Neal totaled at least 7 tackles in six games and earned third- team All-Big 12 honors for his efforts. PFF gave Neal an overall defensive grade of 79.6 as a sopho- more, best among the Cyclones' full-time starters. Nationally, he ranked No. 39 out of 345 safeties across the FBS (400 snaps minimum). Before heading to Ames, Neal was a three-star prospect at Raytown (Mo.) South High. He took visits to Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska, among others, and ultimately chose Iowa State over Kansas State. Armstrong Nnodim | DT/DE R-So. | 6-2 | 290 Oklahoma State | El Paso, Texas On3 Transfer Portal Ranking: HHH, No. 148 DL Rivals Industry Ranking (2024): HHH, No. 106 DL As a redshirt freshman with the Cowboys last season, Nnodim played 243 snaps in 12 games, finishing with 11 tack- les, including 2 for loss and a sack. He played 37 snaps against Iowa State in November, giving Campbell an opportunity to see him in action before bringing him to State College. Prior to his two years in Stillwater, Nnodim was an all-state performer at John Horn High. He set a school record with 16 sacks as a junior and followed with 13 sacks and 34 tackles for loss in his final season. Jamison Patton | S Sr. | 6-2 | 210 Iowa State | Des Moines, Iowa On3 Transfer Portal Ranking: HHH, No. 35 S Rivals Industry Ranking (2023): HHH, No. 25 ATH Patton was having an excellent afternoon against Arizona State last November. He made a career-high 8 tackles in the back-and-forth contest with the visiting Sun Devils, but he also suffered a lower-body injury that ultimately brought his season to an end. The game turned out to be his last appear- ance with the Cyclones; Patton entered the portal in January and quickly resurfaced at Penn State. Before being knocked out of action, Patton totaled 48 tack- les and 2 interceptions while starting nine games at Iowa State last year. During his three seasons in Ames, he played in 34 games, finishing with 79 tackles, 4 interceptions and 7 passes defended. Siale Taupaki | DT R-Sr.+ | 6-2 | 310 UCLA | East Oakland, Calif. On3 Transfer Portal Ranking: HHH, No. 73 DL Rivals Industry Ranking (2019): HHH, No. 67 IOL Taupaki is getting ready for his eighth season of college football. While at UCLA from 2019-21, he used a regular red- shirt season and a medical redshirt, and of course the 2020