During the spring transfer portal, from April 16 to April 25, Penn State football lost multiple players, including two linebackers. The first, Beckham Dee, who was a former walk-on and never saw any playing time. The second, though, was Ta’Mere Robinson, a redshirt sophomore who had played in 14 of the 16 games in 2024.

Robinson was highly thought of within Penn State, and many expected him to take over the mike linebacker role that Kobe King left open when declaring for the NFL Draft. Even James Franklin noted that he was surprised Robinson left.

For Penn State, that means the linebacker room is looking a little emptier than usual, especially with Tony Rojas recovering from an unspecified injury. After the Blue-White Game, Franklin said he wasn’t sure they could get through a season if there were any injuries.

Franklin also made it clear that the Nittany Lions would give the transfer portal a good look following the spring game.

“So if there is a linebacker out there that wants to come and be a part of our program and play for the 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.

The following day, Sunday, April 27, two transfer portal linebackers were reported to have heard from Penn State. Including those two names, here are a couple of linebackers that Penn State should look to bring in from the transfer portal.

Amare Campbell, North Carolina

Amare Campbell was the first of the transfer portal prospects to be linked to Penn State, and he is now expected to visit Happy Valley shortly. The linebacker has also seen recruiting pitches from Rojas and defensive tackle Zane Durant throughout social media comments.

The junior played in 13 games for North Carolina last season, recording 76 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. Campbell was a highly respected pass rusher in the ACC last season and would bring sure tackling and decent run-stopping ability to Penn State.

According to 247Sports, Campbell is the No. 1 linebacker available in the transfer portal and is rated as a three-star transfer.

Mohamed Toure, Rutgers

Mohamed Toure is the second portal linebacker reported to have heard from the Nittany Lions. Toure visited Penn State on Tuesday, March 29. His brother, Vaboue Toure, also plays for the Nittany Lions.

The senior only has one year of eligibility remaining but brings major upside to 2025. Before his season-ending injury during the spring of 2024, Toure was on the Butkus Award Watchlist and was a Rutgers team captain.

In his last full season with the Scarlet Knights in 2023, the linebacker had 92 total tackles, 4.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one interception. Toure was named to the Honorable Mention All-Big Ten team by coaches and media that season.

The upside with Toure is his ability to play anywhere on the field. He can rush the passer, stop the run, and drop into pass coverage if needed. New defensive coordinator Jim Knowles could get really creative with how they use him if he decides to come to Penn State.

Andrew Simpson, Boise State

Andrew Simpson is another interesting name that will be on Penn State’s list of potential grabs. The redshirt junior was a College Football Network Third Team All-American and All-Mountain West Second Team in 2023.

His 2024 season was also impressive, playing in 12 games, starting in 11, with 46 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, three sacks, and three forced fumbles. Franklin will have already seen Simpson play in the Fiesta Bowl, where he had four tackles and half a sack.

Simpon has heard from Penn State, according to Hayes Fawcett of On3, and has been seen on visits with North Carolina and Colorado. While I project he will land with the Tar Heels, Simpson is a very impressive third option for the Nittany Lions.

Harrison Taggart, BYU

Harrison Taggart out of BYU is one of the less talked-about linebacker prospects in the transfer portal, and I’m not sure why. While he has not posted anything about receiving interest from Penn State, Taggert has big-school experience and tons of playing time.

In both 2023 and 2024, Taggart played in 12 games for the Cougars. He started all 12 in 2024, recording 69 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, and one forced fumble. The linebacker is less of a traditional Penn State linebacker, but his ability in pass coverage and the Nittany Lions’ depth at defensive back already could be deadly.

Per 247Sports, Taggart is a three-star transfer prospect, the No. 53 linebacker, and the No. 864 player in the country. He is the No. 7 linebacker available, according to the same metric.

Michael Short, North Carolina

Another North Carolina linebacker who could come to Happy Valley is Michael Short. For one, there is an opportunity here for a package deal, and two, he still has two years of eligibility remaining.

Short had a limited presence during his true freshman season in 2023, playing mostly on special teams. In 2024, he moved up the linebacker depth chart and played in all 13 games with 23 tackles and one tackle for loss.

After playing just one season as a true linebacker, he is rated as a three-star transfer linebacker and the No. 8 linebacker still available.