Top portal linebacker’s message after transferring to Penn State football

Penn State football made waves in the transfer portal this week, adding former North Carolina standout linebacker Amare Campbell to the program on Monday. The top available player at the position, Campbell was one of the most coveted prospects in the entire spring portal window.

Now, the newest Nittany Lion is speaking out ahead of arriving in Happy Valley.

“I can’t wait to get to work,” Campbell wrote on X Thursday, one of his first public statements since announcing his commitment. “This year is personal.”

Campbell broke out as a sophomore in 2024, recording 76 tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss. In 24 games over the last two seasons, the ex-Tar Heel has 90 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks. He chose Penn State over SMU.

The Nittany Lions pursued Campbell to help fill a critical weak spot in the program’s defensive front seven. Heading into the fall, only four players in the Penn State linebacker room have appeared in more than 10 games in college. One of those veterans, star junior Tony Rojas, has a special connection with the team’s newest addition. Both one-time high school standouts in the Northern Virginia area outside Washington, D.C., the pair of NOVA Nittany Lions will look to make a big impact for the Penn State defense in 2025.

Lets do it🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/gODJBzkREu

— Tony Rojas (@Tony_Rojas5) May 7, 2025

“I think we got enough in the room, but to get through an entire season, if we get some injuries, it could get challenging,” James Franklin said of the position following April’s Blue-White Game. “So, we’re going to look at the portal and see if we can find a solution. As you guys know, more times than not, we’d like it to be somebody that is connected to us and that we know, because we got a really good locker room. And I will make sure that we’re bringing the right people in our locker room. We’re very protective of that.”

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