ICYMI: Penn State lands Michigan DT from portal, eyes brother in 2026 cycle

Penn State football has attacked the transfer portal in the week since its Orange Bowl loss to Notre Dame. Over the weekend, the Nittany Lions earned a portal pick that may not just benefit the program next fall, but also help James Franklin and his staff on the recruiting trail.

On Saturday night, former Michigan defensive tackle Owen Wafle announced his commitment to Penn State. The freshman defensive lineman was the second of three transfer portal commitments for the Nittany Lions last weekend, following Texas A&M offensive lineman TJ Shanahan and preceding Alabama defensive back King Mack.

#WeAre @coachjfranklin @DBarnes_18 @ZemaitisTouch_ @CoachAhmadPSU @djbryant13 @Red_Zone75 pic.twitter.com/gWNBH6i6lV

— Owen Wafle (@OwenWafle) January 12, 2025

Wafle chose Penn State football over North Carolina, Rutgers, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin.

A standout at the Hun School in Princeton, New Jersey, Wafle didn’t see the field for the Wolverines as a true freshman this fall. He totaled 16 tackles, including 10 for loss, in nine games as a high school senior. That followed a breakout junior campaign where he registered 64 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks.

Will the Nittany Lions be able to turn a portal win into recruiting success with the Wafle family?

With the commitment, Penn State football hopes to begin a long and fruitful relationship with the Wafle family. Wafle’s brother, Luke, is a four-star defensive lineman and a top target for the Nittany Lions in the 2026 recruiting cycle.

The younger Wafle is the No. 19 defensive lineman in the country and the No. 198 overall prospect in 2026, according to the On3 Industry Rankings. Penn State offered the Hun School standout last January; he was most recently on campus for the White Out versus Washington on November 9.

In addition to his four trips to Happy Valley, Wafle has been to Michigan four times and Texas twice.

Penn State football is well on its way to a top 10 class in 2026, ranked No. 8 in On3’s national rankings and coming in at No. 4 according to 247Sports.

Penn State football transfer portal tracker

Owen Wafle one of six players to commit to Penn State football out of the portal this winter. The Nittany Lions have seen 11 players leave the program via the portal. The winter window officially closed on Tuesday, but additional names may appear throughout the day Thursday as the school processes requests. 

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