This is one in a series of stories breaking down each of the players on Penn State Football’s 2026 roster.
Ryan Barker still has two seasons of eligibility remaining, but he’s well on his way to becoming an all-time great for the Nittany Lions. The redshirt junior holds the best field goal percentage in Penn State history, both for a career (89.2 percent) and in a single season (94.7 percent).
Barker hasn’t tested his leg strength much, with a career long of just 49 yards, but he displays a remarkable degree of consistency, making 92 of 94 point after tries to this point in his career. The Nittany Lions brought in other kickers to supplement him, like kickoff specialist Cristiano Rosa and redshirt freshman Matthew Parker, whose booming leg could give him the nod on kicks longer than 50 yards… but Barker is only halfway through his playing career, so he has plenty of time to flesh out his game.
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 191 pounds
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Hometown: Landenberg, Pa.
High School Career: Barker served as both a kicker and a punter during his time in high school, earning first-team all-state honors as a senior for his consistent ability.
PENN STATE
Where he stands: After serving as Penn State’s top kicker in each of the past two seasons, don’t expect that to change for Barker in 2026. He might delegate longer kicks and kickoffs to Parker and Rosa, respectively, but his consistent ability to nail tries from inside 50 yards is a rarity among inconsistent college kickers.
