This article has been updated as of May 13, 2026 to replace early-window speculation with completed transfer context. The first days of January were chaotic, but several outcomes are now known.
Quarterback Room Turnover
Ethan Grunkemeyer was the biggest early portal story. Local reports said he entered the portal after starting the final seven games of Penn State’s 2025 season, including the Pinstripe Bowl win over Clemson. The Sentinel and other outlets credited him with 1,339 passing yards, eight touchdowns, and four interceptions in 2025.
The later result is also verified: Grunkemeyer transferred to Virginia Tech in January. Onward State and Virginia Tech coverage reported the move, and SI’s Virginia Tech coverage noted the January 14 commitment confirmation.
Jaxon Smolik also entered the transfer portal on January 2. Onward State and Nittany Sports Now both reported that Smolik entered with three years of eligibility remaining. Centre Daily Times later listed Temple as his destination.
Those moves left Penn State’s quarterback room open before Rocco Becht transferred from Iowa State to Penn State. Current 2026 quarterback coverage should therefore be built around Becht and the active roster, not a Grunkemeyer return scenario.
Other Departures
The January window also included offensive lineman J’ven Williams, tight end Luke Reynolds, wide receiver Jeff Exinor Jr., defensive end Jaylen Harvey, linebacker Anthony Speca, and several other departures. Centre Daily Times later reported that 47 Penn State players entered the portal during the January window, with Cam Wallace the only one who withdrew and returned.
Luke Reynolds is a particularly important correction for this site. He later transferred to Virginia Tech and should not be listed as a 2026 Penn State tight end.
Returnees and Retention
The portal story was not only departures. Public return trackers and local coverage identified key players who stayed, including Tony Rojas, Cooper Cousins, Anthony Donkoh, Garrett Sexton, Andrew Rappleyea, Dejuan Lane, and others.
That retention mattered because Campbell was trying to avoid a total roster collapse while also importing a large transfer group. The better current framing is not “addition by subtraction.” It is roster triage: identify who left, who stayed, and which transfers later filled the gaps.
Current Takeaway
Penn State’s early January portal window was the hinge between the Terry Smith interim finish and the Campbell roster reset. The final quarterback story moved from Grunkemeyer and Smolik leaving to Becht arriving. The final skill-position story moved from uncertainty to a transfer-heavy competition.
For site accuracy, dated portal articles should name what was known at the time and then clearly update completed destinations when they became public.
Current Context
This page should serve as a dated transfer ledger. It is useful because it explains why the 2026 roster looks so different from the 2025 roster, but it should not be used as a live portal tracker after the fact.
Current depth-chart pages should point to final destinations and official roster listings. This article’s job is to preserve the January sequence: early exits, key retentions, and the later Becht-led quarterback reset.
Sources and update notes
This update was checked against Onward State portal reports, The Sentinel and Altoona Mirror Grunkemeyer coverage, SI Virginia Tech’s Grunkemeyer transfer report, Centre Daily Times’ transfer-portal list, and local returning-player trackers.