James Franklin offers high praise to transfer player

James Franklin found the transfer portal last year and succeeded immediately by finding players who can make an immediate impact. It was the first time he truly utilized it and by combining that with a strong freshman class they spearheaded the season they had that ended in a Rose Bowl win.

This year, he took the transfer portal and made it go even more in his favor than in 2022.

He went out and was able to land two starting-caliber wide receivers as well as a new potential top corner. Three starters from the portal is a rare thing for a team to do and find success, Manny Diazbet on that approach in Miami and he is now on Franklin’s staff. For the group of transfers to enter State College this year, Franklin was asked what his initial thoughts were on them during media availability on Tuesday.

“They’ve bought a real veteran presence,” Franklin said. “Storm [Duck] is a guy that’s got tremendous maturity…He knows how to practice.”

Storm Duck was considered one of the top defensive players in the transfer portal and was expected to head to either Oregon or Colorado to further his development. Instead, he chose Penn State to replace Joey Porter Jr. and play alongside Kalen King.

As Franklin notes, he brings a veteran presence to a younger defense led by King and Abdul Carter. In Manny Diaz’s defense, Duck will thrive on the man coverage he likes to play and the aggressiveness he likes to see from his defenders.

Expect big things from Storm Duk in the blue and white this Spring and well into the Fall.

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Story originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire