After the Blue-White Game, James Franklin made a public plea to linebackers in the transfer portal to sign with Penn State.
“If there’s a linebacker out there that wants to come and be a part of our program and play for LBU, the most historic linebacker program in the history of college football, there’s an opportunity here to join the room and compete,” Franklin said. “I think we’ve got enough in the room, but to get through an entire season, if we get some injuries, it could get challenging. So we’re gonna look at the portal, see if we can find a solution.”
Franklin got his wish and landed one of the best available in the transfer portal.
Tuesday morning, PSU announced it had signed former North Carolina linebacker Amare Campbell.
The 6-foot, 230-pound Campbell entered the portal during the spring transfer window after two seasons with the Tar Heels. He will wear Np. 24 and two years of eligibility remaining at Penn State.
An incoming junior from Manassas, Virginia, Campbell recorded 76 tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss as a sophomore. He played in all 13 of UNC’s games and recorded five or more tackles in nine.
Campbell tallied 6.5 sacks, including 1.5 against NC State and one sack in the season-opening game at Minnesota. He totaled eight tackles, one tackle for loss, one pass breakup, and one QB hit against Pitt.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Campbell closed the season with five QB hits, including one at Fenway Park in the Fenway Bowl loss to the UConn Huskies.
He earned sparring playing time as a freshman, but made the most of his reps. Campbell made 14 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, one pass defended, and his first and only INT against Syracuse.
Campbell joins Tony Rojas and Dom DeLuca as the main contributors in the center of Jim Knowles’ new defense. PSU lost Kobe King (draft) and Ta’Mere Robinson (transfer portal) after the season, leaving an opening for Campbell to contribute immediately.
Penn State consistently rotated Rojas, King, and DeLuca, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the same with Campbell joining the Nittany Lions.
Penn State hosts Nevada on August 30 at Beaver Stadium to begin the 2025 season.
