Transfer trade-off: Is Penn State better after portal comings and goings?

The application of a new one-time transfer rule that allows for the immediate eligibility of transfers, combined with an extra season of eligibility provided to all players due to the pandemic, has made this an offseason unlike any other.

The Nittany Lions have added six transfers to their roster, following the news that AJ Lytton would be joining their ranks for the 2021 season. They've also lost eight of their own players to the transfer portal.

It begs the question: Has Penn State's roster improved or regressed as a result of all of the comings and goings that have taken place since the winter?

RELATED: Scholarship Chart: Latest projections following AJ Lytton addition

To find an answer to this, we assigned each transfer an impact rating between 1 and 5, with 5 being the most impactful. The ratings consider both what a player could provide in 2021 as well as his potential moving forward.

Below are the results:

Arnold Ebiketie — Defensive end, Temple

Ebiketie was probably the transfer addition who received the most buzz from his coaches and teammates during spring practice, and he arrives at a position of need for the Nittany Lions, who must find replacements for Jayson Oweh and Shaka Toney, who were both selected in the NFL Draft this spring. Ebiketie was one of the best pass rushers in the AAC last season, getting to the quarterback four times in six games and also accumulating 8.5 tackles for loss. Defensive line specialist Eddy McGilvra, who trained Ebiketie this offseason, called him a potential top-100 pick in next season's NFL Draft.

Impact rating: 4

Derrick Tangelo — Defensive tackle, Duke

Tangelo was also spoken about in high regard this spring. He started every game for Duke in 2020, and proved an effective pass rusher from the interior of the defensive line, pressuring the quarterback 18 times in 11 games last season. Pro Football Focus rated him as a slightly less effective defender against the run. However, he did force three fumbles, which is important to a Penn State defense that has struggled to force turnovers. He comes in for his final season of eligibility, replacing Antonio Shelton, who transferred to Florida.

Impact Rating: 3.5

Johnny Dixon — Corner, South Carolina

Dixon started eight out of 10 games for the Gamecocks last season as a sophomore, which makes him an interesting addition for the Nittany Lions at the cornerback spot. James Franklin listed him as one of a handful of players who stood out to him during spring camp as well. He comes into a Penn State cornerbacks room that returns all of its important contributors from a season ago, is getting Tariq Castro-Fields back healthy, and also added Lytton. It will be interesting to see how that group sorts itself out as fall approaches. It's also key that Dixon will be eligible beyond just this season, so, even if he's not an instant starter for the Nittany Lions, he will still have opportunities to make an impact down the line.

Impact Rating: 3

John Lovett — Running back, Baylor

Lovett joins a Nittany Lion running back room that already had several players capable of competing for carries heading into the 2021 season, but Lovett provides a veteran presence that the group previously lacked. Lovett had over 1,800 rushing yards to his name over four seasons with the Bears, and will bring that experience to the Nittany Lions. He has only one season of eligibility remaining, though, so he must make an immediate impact despite competing for playing time at what may be Penn State's deepest position.

Impact Rating: 3

AJ Lytton — Cornerback, Florida State

Lytton is a former top-100 prospect who didn't work out in Tallahassee, leaving the program before the beginning of the 2020 season. He started one game over two seasons with the Seminoles, but it's clear there is some talent there for Franklin and his staff to harness. Like Dixon, he comes into a cornerbacks room that has no shortage of options, but, with only two seasons of college football under his belt, Lytton could have more to offer in the future.

Impact Rating: 2.5

Eric Wilson — Offensive lineman, Harvard

Until Lytton's addition, Wilson was the transfer addition we'd heard the least about, mostly because of timing. He was one of the better linemen in the Ivy League in 2019, but did not play in 2020 due to the conference's choice to cancel the season. He arrived on campus later than Ebiketie, Tangelo, Dixon and Lovett, and did not partake in spring practice as a result. With that in mind, it's tough to get a feel for how exactly he fits in looking at next season. At worst, he'll provide some experienced depth for Phil Trautwein along the offensive front, and that alone makes him a valuable piece.

Impact Rating: 2.5

Will Levis — Quarterback, Kentucky

Levis saw the field more than many may have expected in 2020, becoming a big contributor to Penn State's running game and also occasionally an outright replacement for a struggling Sean Clifford. Quarterback depth remains a concern for Franklin, who would be forced to rely on one of two highly inexperienced signal-callers should Clifford suffer an injury. The cover Levis provided in that way will be missed.

Impact Rating: 3

Lance Dixon — Linebacker, West Virginia

Dixon, a former four-star recruit, played just over 200 snaps on defense during his two-year career with Penn State. The Nittany Lions have not directly replaced the depth he provided at the linebacker position through the transfer portal. Plus, they're losing a player with obvious potential, even if the first two seasons in Happy Valley didn't go quite to plan.

Impact Rating: 2.5

TJ Jones — Wide receiver, UAB

Jones never truly cracked Penn State's rotation at wide receiver over his first two seasons in Happy Valley, playing fewer than 100 snaps on offense. There are plenty of other young wideouts with potential on Penn State's roster who can make up for those snaps.

Impact Rating: 1

Micah Bowens — Quarterback, Oklahoma

The former Bishop Gorman QB will find himself in the Big 12 next season, having transferred from Penn State to Oklahoma. He is the second quarterback to transfer out of the program this offseason, but never saw the field in blue and white. It's unlikely that the Nittany Lions will be impacted by his absence very much this season, and, with two five-star quarterbacks ahead of him on the depth chart, it's difficult to see Bowens winning the job with the Sooners.

Impact Rating: 1.5

Judge Culpepper — Defensive Tackle, Toledo

A four-star prospect out of high school, Culpepper redshirted in his first season and played only sparingly in two campaigns thereafter. With three seasons of eligibility left, it's not difficult to see him making a strong impact in the MAC, but the Nittany Lions have other young interior defensive linemen to be excited about as well.

Impact Rating: 1.5

CJ Thorpe — Offensive lineman, TBD

Thorpe is the lone Penn State departure not to have announced his destination as of this writing, and he has said that he would like to make the switch to defensive line at his next school. Thorpe had started eight games for the Nittany Lions over the last two seasons, although he never quite locked down a consistent starting role. Regardless, his departure will have an impact on an offensive line that must also replace Michal Menet and Will Fries.

Impact Rating: 3

Antonio Shelton — Defensive tackle, Florida

Among the departures, Shelton's is likely to be felt the most. The Nittany Lions are only missing out on one year of his services, but he was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection by both the coaches and the media in 2020. He appeared in 40 games over the course of his Penn State career, starting 10 of them. He had 3.5 sacks for the Nittany Lions last season. Franklin and company did manage to find a quality replacement in Tangelo, but Shelton will still be a big miss.

Impact Rating: 4

Shane Simmons — Defensive end, Marshall

Simmons had a difficult career with the Nittany Lions as he dealt with injury limitations. It would have been difficult to see him making an on-field impact for Penn State had he elected to stick around, but he certainly would have been a valuable veteran presence in the locker room.

Impact Rating: 1.5

So, where does this leave us?

Average incoming trasnfer impact rating: 3.08

Average outgoing trasnfer impact rating: 2.19

Based on our ratings, the Nittany Lions' additions from the transfer portal are likely to have more of an impact moving forward than their departures.

*******

• Talk about this article inside The Lions Den

• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel

• Learn more about our print and digital publication, Blue-White Illustrated

• Follow us on Twitter: @BWIonRivals, @NateBauerBWI, @RivalsSnyder, @DavidEckert98

• Follow us on Instagram

• Like us on Facebook