Penn State football quarterback Alex Manske is the most important transfer portal grab for the Nittany Lions that no one is talking about.

It’s one thing for Matt Campbell to bring in Rocco Becht for his final season of eligibility to help kick-start his tenure. It’s another to start setting the Nittany Lions up to compete for a long-desired national championship in the future.

Following Campbell from Iowa State, Manske brings Happy Valley a potential long-term answer in football’s most important position for at least four more seasons.

“He’s got elite arm talent. He certainly is an elite athlete. A guy that could probably start at safety,” Campbell said at Penn State’s local media day. “He’s a guy that’s got the ability from a mental capacity to play quarterback. He’s got the ability to have great field awareness.”

Last season, Manske played in three games, completing four of five pass attempts for 28 yards. He also rushed seven times for 33 yards and a touchdown.

Campbell said he thinks Manske has the potential to be a top-three or four quarterback in his class. A class that includes Alabama’s likely starter Keelon Russell, Michigan’s starter Bryce Underwood, Cal’s starter Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, and Maryland’s promising starter Malik Washington.

While Manske’s transfer didn’t make headlines like those listed above would have, Campbell emphasized how important it is for young talents like Manske to learn from veterans like Becht before he takes the reins.

Considering the turnover Penn State could face this offseason, confidence in its quarterback, even if he’s a new starter, would allow the Nittany Lions to spend big on weapons and the trenches rather than focus on another short-term answer behind the center.

Manske said at media days that Becht’s been an excellent example to him and has helped the young signal caller hone in on his gameday preparation. He said he took Becht’s process and “really made it his own.”

The two also spent the offseason dealing with injuries. However, while Becht had a partial labral tear in his non-throwing shoulder and an AC joint sprain in his throwing shoulder, Manske’s injury is undisclosed.

The quarterback declined to comment on it at media days, but both offensive line coach Ryan Clanton and Manske’s roommate and wide receiver Brett Eskildsen said at one point that there was a chance Manske would never play football again.

“It’s an unbelievable story. I call him the Miracle Child,” Eskildsen said. “Him being back on the field and looking as good as he has, he just shocks me more every day.”

Penn State’s new quarterback coach Jake Waters was also impressed with the young signal-caller, saying Manske is “one of the toughest guys [he’s] ever seen.”

Despite a tough offseason, Manske said he didn’t feel the setback caused him to miss too much football and that the UCL surgery on his elbow in high school was harder to recover from.

Through the first few days of practice, Manske has proven his claims true. The Algona, Iowa, native was a standout both days the media were welcomed to practice, despite rotating with fellow transfer Conor Barry as the backup quarterback.

“What that man has done to get back, to play the way he’s playing,” Campbell said. … “He’s playing as good of football in the last two days as we’ve witnessed Alex Manske play his entire career.”