Former Temple defensive end Arnold Ebiketie announces he is transferring to Penn State

He was a second-team All-AAC selection this season after leading the Owls in tackles for loss, sacks, and forced fumbles. He is the fourth transfer player to choose Penn State this week.

Temple defensive end Arnold Ebiketie (left) scoops up a fumble against USF in October. He was a leader on the Temple defense this year.Read moreHeather Khalifa / File Photograph

by Joe Juliano

Published Dec. 31, 2020, 4:05 p.m. ET

Defensive end Arnold Ebiketie, one of Temple’s top tacklers and a second-team All-AAC player during the 2020 season, announced Thursday on Twitter that he will be transferring to Penn State.

For the Nittany Lions, the commitment of Ebiketie marks the fourth player they have taken from the NCAA transfer portal this week and the third defensive player.

“Glad to start a new journey and be part of the Penn State family,” Ebiketie wrote on Twitter.

The 6-foot-4, 240-pound Ebiketie led the Owls this season with 8½ tackles for loss, four sacks, and three forced fumbles in just six games. He tied for first on the team with 28 unassisted tackles, and his 42 total tackles were second. He also scored on an 11-yard fumble return against South Florida.

Ebiketie missed the last game of the season Nov. 21 against East Carolina due to COVID-19 protocols. He entered the transfer portal on Dec. 23. He has two years of eligibility remaining since playing this season does not cost him a year, according to NCAA rules.

The 247Sports website reported that Ebiketie had attracted interest from Boston College, Florida State, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, and Wake Forest. He told the website he wanted to find a new team in time to enroll at that school in January.

Penn State also has acquired two other defensive players from the transfer portal – 6-2, 310-pound tackle Derrick Tangelo of Duke and 6-foot, 185-pound cornerback John Dixon of South Carolina. Tangelo has one season of eligibility remaining and Dixon has three.

Another player picked up by the Nittany Lions was 6-foot, 212-pound running back John Lovett, who has one year of eligibility left after playing for four seasons at Baylor. Lovett starred in high school at Cherokee in South Jersey.