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Penn State safety King Mack lands in transfer portal, again

nate-mug-10.12.14by: Nate Bauer01/02/26NateBauerBWI

Penn State safety King Mack is heading back to the NCAA transfer portal, On3’s Pete Nakos is reporting Friday morning. With the decision, the rising senior will explore the potential of a third-straight season playing in a different local than the year prior.

He began his career with the Nittany Lions as a four-star prospect in the Rivals Industry Ranking for the Class of 2022. But, after a true freshman season with the program in which he played in every game, Mack departed State College for Tuscaloosa as a late-spring transfer portal entry to join the Alabama football program for 2024.

Playing in every game during the 2024 season for the Crimson Tide, Mack made 14 tackles. But by the end of the 2024 campaign, Mack spent time with the Nittany Lion program as it prepared for the College Football Playoff semifinal in Miami and, just days later, announced his return to Penn State for 2025.

Announcing his decision as being “back home” in a social media post, Mack impressed with his demeanor in the Lasch Building despite missing the bulk of the spring while dealing with injury ramifications.

“I think a guy that people aren’t talking about, but was a huge acquisition, is getting King back,” said former Penn State head coach James Franklin. “For a lot of reasons, but as much as anything, culturally. He knows what we’re about. We know what he’s about. He’s a ball of positive energy. And he’s older, and he’s fast, and he’s a better fit here. He probably wasn’t a great fit at Alabama for what they’re looking for and what they want to put out on the field.”

Less than six months on from Franklin’s comments, Mack is back in the portal for a third time in his college playing career. Having worked through the transition of Jim Knowles’ defense this season, picking up the new system with his teammates in an on-the-job course through the 2025 campaign, Mack was a fixture in the Penn State secondary this past season.

He finished the year with 58 tackles, making 1 TFL and half a sack to go along with three passes broken up, four passes defended, and an interception.

In the days leading into Penn State’s Pinstripe Bowl appearance last month, Mack spoke to reporters about issues with leadership and culture in the program that would need to be rectified for the 2026 season. And though he didn’t commit to a return, he acknowledged his early interactions with new program head coach Matt Campbell had been very positive.

“He sees where we went wrong this year, and his job is to get it fixed as soon as possible, and to use all the seniors as one big group to help us fix all those issues,” Mack said. “Coach Matt Campbell plans on changing the culture. And I feel like the plan that he has, it’s a great plan, and all we need to do is just have everyone buy in.”

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