Penn State football’s secondary will see another change this offseason, as safety Dejuan Lane plans to enter the transfer portal after having a change of heart.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound sophomore from Maryland will explore his options after completing his second year with Penn State, per Pete Nakos of On3Sports.
On New Year’s Day, Lane announced his play to return, sayin he’d “Rather drown with my guys before I ever jump ship.”
Lane has since deleted the post on X.
Lane emerged as a reliable contributor during 2025, appearing in 12 games and carving out a consistent role in the defensive rotation. Despite ranking 14th among defensive players in total snaps with 290, he finished ninth on the team in tackles, recording 30 stops. His snap count ranked third among Penn State safeties, trailing only Zakee Wheatley, an every-down presence, and King Mack, who logged 493 snaps on the season.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Both Wheatley (eligibility) and Mack (transfer portal) won’t be playing for Penn State in 2026, which would have made Lane Penn State’s most active safety among 2025’s returnees.
Beyond his tackle production, Lane added impact plays to his résumé, finishing the year with 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a pass breakup. His performance earned solid analytical marks as well, posting a 71.7 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, the ninth-best rating among Penn State defenders.
Lane first made his mark during his true freshman season in 2024, stepping into a larger role following KJ Winston’s season-ending injury in Week 2 against Bowling Green. That experience set the stage for increased expectations entering Year 2, as Lane continued to develop under safeties coach Antony Poindexter and established himself as a dependable option in Penn State’s secondary.
