Five Penn State football players beat the buzzer and entered the transfer portal Wednesday.
Offensive lineman Golden Israel-Achumba, wide receiver Malik McClain, safety King Mack, and running backs David Kency Jr. and London Montgomery are leaving Penn State to pursue other opportunities.
A former four-star prospect and 86th-rank prospect (Rivals) in the class of 2023, Mack rarely saw the field for Penn State as a true freshman. His role mainly involved special teams in a packed safeties room that included Jaylen Reed, KJ Winston and Keaton Ellis. Mack totaled three tackles last season on defense, including two at the end of the regular season against Rutgers.
McClain, a junior receiver, re-entered the transfer portal after one year at Penn State. A former four-star recruit himself from Bradenton, Florida, the 6-foot-4 receiver never carved out a role for himself during his lone season in Happy Valley. McClain suited up for all 13 games and caught six passes for 71 yards and one touchdown. He transferred from Florida State after the 2022 campaign.
Mack and McClain are the two most notable transfers of the five to join the portal. A redshirt junior and three-star recruit in 2020, Israel-Achumba never started a game for James Franklin. He played in 12 games during his PSU career, all on special teams, and earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2021 and 2022.
A 5-foot-7 back from Archbishop Shaw High School, Kency Jr. joined the team as a walk-on but never made his way on the field. Scranton Prep alum Montgomery redshirted the past season while recovering from a knee injury. He was named Developmental Squad Offensive Player of the Week during the White Out week against Iowa.
The portal officially closed at midnight, with May 1 being the final day players could submit their names to transfer. Penn State needed to limit its number of scholarship players to 85 in the process. The Nittany Lions ended 2023 10-3 overall and clinched a spot in a New Year’s Six game for the second consecutive season.
