Clairton's Lamont Wade among 3 Penn State players to enter transfer portal

Three more Penn State football players have entered the NCAA transfer portal to examine their options with other schools, according a report Sunday from the SEC Network.

Sophomore safety Lamont Wade, redshirt junior wide receiver Brandon Polk and redshirt sophomore defensive back Zech McPhearson were said to have put their names in. The system permits coaches from other schools to contact them but the players may decide to return to Penn State.

Wade was a five-star recruit at Clairton High School when he signed in 2017 with the Nittany Lions. He began his collegiate career as a cornerback and was shifted to safety, where he was thought to have an excellent chance to replace Nick Scott at that position next season. Wade, who had 18 tackles in 2018, also excelled on special teams.

On Friday, redshirt junior wide receiver Juwan Johnson entered the transfer portal, and later issued a post on Instagram where he said he will not play his final season at Penn State. Since he graduated last month, Johnson may play right away in 2019 at his new school.

McPhearson, a reliable special teams player who saw limited playing time in the secondary in 2018, confirmed later Sunday on Twitter that he would transfer after receiving his degree in May.

Polk, a high school teammate of quarterback Trace McSorley, caught nine passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns in 11 games but he saw limited time late in the season after head coach James Franklin decided to go with younger receivers.

Wade and Polk will have to sit out next year if they transfer. Exceptions would be if they receive an NCAA waiver, or move to a different level of competition in FCS, Division II or Division III.