Penn State football redshirt-sophomore quarterback Jaxon Smolik is entering the transfer portal, according to On3’s Hayes Fawcett. Smolik has three years of eligibility remaining.

Smolik joined the Nittany Lions in 2023, but he redshirted after just one appearance. In 2024, the quarterback went down with an injury that kept him out of the entire season. As his recovery lingered into the offseason, Smolik found himself in a QB2 battle with Ethan Grunkemeyer.

In fall camp, James Franklin announced Grunkemeyer would take the backup role, but a season-ending injury to Drew Allar against Northwestern moved both quarterbacks up a spot in the depth chart. Smolik was used as a dual threat against Iowa. He rushed four times for three yards, but picked up another injury that kept him out for the rest of the 2025 season.

The 6’1″, 205-pound signal caller was a three-star recruit in high school, according to 247Sports’ Composite rankings, and listed as the No. 8 player in Iowa, No. 36 quarterback, and No. 733 player nationally. He chose Penn State over Cal and Northern Iowa.

He was Penn State’s last rostered quarterback from 2025 with Grunkemeyer and Bekkem Kritza entering the portal and Allar seemingly off to the NFL Draft. The Nittany Lions will have to add depth in the position during the transfer portal window. Penn State spent much of 2025 with wide receiver Liam Clifford as backup to Grunkemeyer due to injuries.