A lot of credit has gone to the work that Penn State head coach Matt Campbell has done in the transfer portal. With over 55 transfers, there is hope in Happy Valley that the Nittany Lions will look much more competitive on the field this year. However, when it comes to each's level of importance, there are differing opinions. Many say that quarterback Rocco Becht is the key to Penn State's Big Ten success.One analyst at ESPN has a different player in mind.In their 2026 Big Ten preview, ESPN wrote about the top transfers into the conference. Rather than going with the obvious, Bill Connelly chose safety Marcus Neal Jr."New head coach Matt Campbell brought alotof former Cyclones with him from Iowa State -- too many, perhaps -- but Neal is an almost surefire star," Connelly wrote. "The 6-foot-1, 215-pound safety has solid ball-hawking capabilities (two INTs, three breakups last year) but is also at home near the line of scrimmage: He took part in 12 tackles at or behind the line."Many Penn State fans may not know Neal's name, but they almost certainly will come the fall. Penn State lacks a lot of depth at the safety position, having lost players like Zakee Wheatley to the NFL and Antoine Belgrave-Shorter to the transfer portal. Therefore, it is imperative for the starters to step up, and that will place the spotlight on Neal. In 2025 at Iowa State, he recorded 77 tackles, 11 for loss, two interceptions, and three pass breakups.Now, he will be tasked with marshaling the back end, potentially without his running mate from his time with the Cyclones at the start of the year. Jeremiah Cooper is another huge addition from the portal, but he did tear his ACL last season. If there was ever an onus for Neal to step up, it would be now, considering the many unknowns that are coming at the safety position.Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X and Facebook.This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: ESPN names Penn State safety among top Big Ten transfers