Only Max Granville and Ben Brahmer Until Penn State Football

Max Granville, a highly-recruited defensive end, will be the only Penn State Nittany Lions player competing for a starting spot in 2026. The four-star high school recruit initially offered by Michigan, Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, and Auburn, reclassified a year early to join Penn State for the 2024 season. Granville, who led his high school in 38.5 sacks across three years, also excelled in track events, placing 2nd in the 110m hurdles and shot put, and 3rd in the 300m hurdles at the 2024 TAPPS Championships.

His freshman year saw him play in 7 games, including 3 in the postseason, and he was described as "trending up" by the coaching staff. A knee injury sustained in the spring of 2025 sidelined him for the entire season, but he has since completed rehabilitation and says he feels "great" and "fast," having gained muscle ahead of the 2026 season.

Granville will vie for a starting defensive end position alongside Ike Ezeogu, Alexander McPherson, and Yvan Kemajou as Penn State replaces outgoing starters Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zuriah Fisher.

Ben Brahmer, a senior tight end from Nebraska, joins Penn State's roster. A three-star recruit who was the No. 3 player in the state and No. 32 tight end nationally, Brahmer had a standout career at Iowa State, catching 75 passes for 977 yards and 9 touchdowns over three seasons. His breakout year in 2025 saw him lead the Cyclones with 37 catches for 446 yards (12.1 yards per catch) and 6 touchdowns, earning him second-team All-Big 12 honors and a semifinalist nod for the Mackey Award.

Brahmer was rated the No. 1 tight end in the transfer portal when he transferred to Penn State, following head coach Matt Campbell. He will join a tight end room with proven talent such as Tyler Warren, Theo Johnson, and Brenton Strange, as he aims to follow in their footsteps and potentially become an NFL player.