From former NBA draft prospects to Division II standouts, head coach Mike Rhoades had to get creative once again in the transfer portal to field a team. While the Nittany Lions won’t be winning national championships anytime soon, is this the year they get back to competing in the Big Ten?

Two of our staffers decided to take a look at each Penn State men’s basketball transfer this offseason and grade them from A+ (amazing) to F (terrible).

Brant Byers

Michael Zeno: A+

This was a slam dunk and the best portal move you could’ve asked for out of Mike Rhoades and company. Byers is an electric shooter with the ability to handle the ball and defend at 6’8” with big game experience for Miami (OH) with two years of eligibility remaining. He’ll be a feature attraction at the BJC this year.

Holden Mostofsky: A

This was by far my favorite transfer. Not only is Byers a Pennsylvania native, but he also came from a team that just went undefeated in the regular season in a strong conference.

Byers finished the season averaging 14.2 points and 4.1 rebounds for the Redhawks and played a key role in their success. He was also named MAC Freshman of the Year in his first season, and continued to grow each year. Penn State landed a talented player who will most likely have a starting and leadership role for the team.

Jay Rodgers

Michael Zeno: B+

One thing that Penn State lacked last year was reliable playmaking, and they went out and got the NEC’s assist leader in the portal. He’ll likely start at point guard and brings more reliable shooting than we’ve seen in the last few years from the position, so that’s not too bad.

Holden Mostofsky: B-

Rodgers had a great final season with Central Connecticut State. He holds the team’s single-season assist record and was named All-NEC Second Team. His experience with basketball is great for being composed against Big Ten Teams, some of which are the best in the country.

I think Rodgers plays with confidence and could be a great leader for the Nittany Lions. He was the first transfer Rhoades recruited, and it was a good start to building a more experienced team.

However, coming from a conference where the top team from last season was the No. 16 seed in March Madness could be concerning. While the transfer portal has become a tool for players in smaller colleges to prove they can play at a higher level, the NEC hasn’t seen much success.

Roberts Blums

Michael Zeno: B+

Nothing makes me happier than a three-point sniper on my basketball team. Blums will be just that for the Nittany Lions. He shot 40.7% from deep on six attempts per game last year for Davidson as the team’s sixth man and could easily be the next Andrew Funk in State College.

Holden Mostofsky: B-

Blums had a solid season at Davidson, averaging 8.4 points and 2.5 rebounds, and was consistently one of the best bench players.

He played in 63 games and had a season high of 23 points. Davidson plays in a strong conference with teams that consistently appear and win games in March Madness. Despite taking a smaller role, Blums has shown he can compete.

Tim Oboh

Michael Zeno: B

Another thing the Nittany Lions lacked last year was reliable rim protection, so I like that they went out and grabbed a guy who averaged 1.5 blocks a game for Buffalo last year. He’s fairly limited, but still young and showed big improvement in his touch around the rim last season. I just wonder if he and Ivan Juric can play together.

Holden Mostofsky: A-

Penn State needed a dominant center this offseason, and Oboh is a defensive powerhouse who can be just that.

Oboh played every game for Buffalo this past season and finished with 47 blocks, leading the team. As noted before, the MAC is a strong conference, and averaging 9.6 points per game is impressive.

Thomas Allard

Michael Zeno: C

I don’t know too much about the 6’7” guard from Georgia, but he was solid enough at Division II Alabama-Huntsville that he was on the radar of a Big Ten school. There are success stories about players making this jump in the portal, so we’ll just have to wait and see.

Holden Mostofsky: C+

Allard averaged 13.7 points at Alabama Huntsville and was named to the All-GSG Second Team in the Gulf South Conference after an impressive season.

The guard has one year of eligibility remaining and no experience against Power Four schools. I’m concerned the transition will be too overwhelming, though, given the significant jump from Division II to the Big Ten.

Roko Prkacin

Michael Zeno: A/D

How I feel about this move solely depends on what happens with the NCAA’s age-based eligibility proposal. Based on the current framework, Prkacin might have one year of eligibility, if any at all, because of his age. That would be a disaster for a team like Penn State at this stage. If it doesn’t pass or his eligibility is unaffected, this is a great move for a guy who was on NBA radars a few years ago.

Holden Mostofsky: B

Prkacin could bring a great set of skills after playing professionally in Europe, but I am concerned with the lack of aggressiveness he shows. However, the experience and knowledge he carries could be a great addition alongside other teammates coming from overseas.

The former NBA prospect has had a lot of ups and downs in his career, but averaged 6.2 points and 4.7 rebounds in 23 game appearances for Nanterre last season. He also had played for the Croatian national team.