Penn State is trying to put the finishing touches on the roster for the 2023 college football season, and the Nittany Lions picked up a potentially key piece via the transfer portal Wednesday night.

The player is Alonzo Ford Jr., a defensive tackle out of Old Dominion. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 272 pounds, Ford started 25 games across the 2021-22 seasons after redshirting in 2020. With PJ Mustipher moving on to the NFL after the 2022 season, Ford has a shot to step in and make an immediate impact for Penn State’s defense.

This past season, Ford recorded 32 total tackles with 5 TFL and 3.5 sacks. For his career with the Monarchs, Ford posted 73 total tackles, 8.5 TFL and 4 sacks with a forced fumble.

So far, James Franklin’s staff has been methodical with transfer additions in the 2023 cycle. The Nittany Lions had just one defensive transfer prior to Ford with ex-UNC DB Storm Duck. However, Duck re-entered the portal and left the program coming out of the spring.