This is one in a series of stories breaking down each player on Penn State football’s 2026 roster.
Caleb Bacon took a road to Penn State wasn’t the typical one.
He wasn’t blue-chip recruit. He wasn’t a national name. He wasn’t a player who came out of high school with the luxury of picking between major Power Four programs.
Bacon came out of Lake Mills, Iowa, as an unranked prospect in the 2021 class. His options were closer to Division III or NAIA football before Iowa State gave him a late preferred walk-on opportunity.
Five years later, Bacon arrives at Penn State as one of the more important veteran additions of the early Matt Campbell era.
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 240 pounds
Hometown: Lake Mills, Iowa
Before Penn State: Bacon played at Lake Mills High School, where he became one of the most productive defenders in Iowa. As a senior, he led Iowa Class A with 103 tackles and 90 solo tackles, while adding seven tackles for loss, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. He was a two-time all-state selection and also earned all-state honors in basketball.
At Iowa State
2025: Bacon’s 2025 season was the best of his college career.
He started all 12 games for Iowa State, served as a team captain and finished with 68 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, one forced fumble and three pass breakups.
According to the Pro Football Focus, Bacon played 652 defensive snaps last year, including 280 against the run, 110 as a pass rusher and 262 in coverage.
His overall defensive grade was 70.9, with a 76.4 run-defense grade, 71.4 pass-rush grade and 58.4 coverage grade.
The most encouraging part of Bacon’s profile is his activity near the line of scrimmage. PFF credited him with 29 defensive stops in 2025, along with 16 total pressures, three sacks, seven quarterback hits and six hurries.
His best game came in Iowa State’s regular-season finale against Oklahoma State, when he posted seven tackles, all solo, and a career-high three sacks. That performance earned him Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors.
The concern from 2025 was tackling consistency. PFF listed Bacon with 14 missed tackles and an 18.7% missed tackle rate.
Still, Bacon’s production was real. He wasn’t just a depth player following Campbell to Penn State. He was one of Iowa State’s defensive leaders and one of the more productive linebackers in the Big 12.
2024: Bacon’s 2024 season ended almost immediately.
He started Iowa State’s opener against North Dakota but suffered a season-ending injury.
That made his 2025 return more significant. Bacon didn’t just come back from injury. He came back as a captain, started every game and produced at a higher level than he had before.
For a Penn State team that needed veteran linebacker stability, that matters.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.2023: This was Bacon’s breakout season.
He played in 13 games and finished with 60 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, one forced fumble and two pass breakups. He also earned a scholarship after beginning his Iowa State career as a walk-on.
According to the PFF, Bacon played 346 defensive snaps that season. His 2023 PFF profile was impressive: an 89.3 overall defensive grade, 91.3 run-defense grade, 80.9 pass-rush grade and 61.0 coverage grade.
He also produced 22 total pressures, four sacks, five quarterback hits and 13 hurries. PFF credited him with 30 defensive stops and a missed tackle rate of 11.9%.
That version of Bacon is why his addition is intriguing for Penn State.
When healthy, he has shown he can play downhill, pressure the quarterback and make impact plays in the run game.
Where he Stands: Bacon comes to Penn State with a chance to play a significant role right away.
PSU added multiple Iowa State linebackers after Campbell took the Penn State job, including Bacon, Kooper Ebel and Cael Brezina. The familiarity with Campbell helps, but the defensive transition isn’t as simple as copying and pasting Iowa State’s system into Happy Valley.
Penn State is moving into D’Anton Lynn’s defense, and that requires adjustment. Bacon and other former Iowa State linebackers are moving from the Cyclones’ 3-3-5 structure into a different front at Penn State, with different spacing and responsibilities.
That makes Bacon’s experience valuable, but not automatic.
He still has to translate his game into Lynn’s scheme.
The upside is clear. Bacon has size, production, experience and leadership. He has played meaningful Power Four football. He has handled injury, earned a scholarship and become a captain.
The question is how cleanly his physical, downhill style fits into Penn State’s linebacker rotation.
Tony Rojas gives Penn State high-end athleticism. Ebel gives the room another experienced Iowa State transfer. Younger players such as Alex Tatsch and Cam Smith are part of the long-term picture.
But Bacon brings something specific: a veteran linebacker who has already lived Campbell’s culture and has produced as a starter.
For a first-year staff, that is important.
Quotes From Bacon: Bacon’s trust in Campbell was a major reason he followed him from Iowa State to Penn State.
“He’s a coach that I’ve been with for the last five years. He gave me a scholarship, gave me a chance to walk on originally to Iowa State. Just being able to trust who he is as a person, it made my decision pretty easy.” – Bacon on Campbell to reporters in February
“I feel like I have an intuition to get to the ball. I like to fly around. I think coach Lynn’s defense is gonna be perfect for that.” — Bacon on his playing style will translate to Lynn’s scheme during spring practice.
Quotes about Bacon: “Totally different defense for some of the Iowa State players when you talk about Cael Brezina, Kooper Ebel, and Caleb Bacon. You’re coming from a three-down front to a four-down front. What’s been fun to watch is that group really grow. Kooper, we felt he is like one of the best linebackers in the country coming back. I think he has really grown himself forward. Bacon is a guy that played a lot of football. I think those guys adapted.” Campbell this year’s following Blue-White Practice
