Report: Penn State DT T.A. Cunningham Planning to Enter Transfer Portal

The transfer portal opened on Monday and one Penn State is already set to move on. T.A. Cunningham, a true freshman defensive tackle, “plans” to hit the open market, On3 reported. 

A former three-star recruit, Cunningham has not appeared in a game this season.

Cunningham will join tight end Jerry Cross as the second Nittany Lion to enter the transfer portal this cycle. Cross, a redshirt sophomore who appeared in just two games this season, announced his intent to transfer last Tuesday.

A native of Loganville, Georgia, Cunningham was once a highly sought-after recruit who saw his 247Sports ratings drop significantly from 2022 to his senior year of high school in 2024.

He held offers from Georgia, Michigan, Texas, Oregon and many other prominent programs before signing with Penn State last year.

Cunningham leaves a Penn State defensive line room thin on depth entering next season. Dvon J-Thomas, a veteran starter, is out of eligibility after this season, and fellow starter Zane Durant could enter the NFL Draft. That would leave just seven scholarship defensive tackles on roster for 2025: Alonzo Ford Jr., Coziah Izzard, Ty Blanding, Xavier Gilliam, Kaleb Artis, Liam Andrews and De’Andre Cook.

Only Ford and Izzard were consistent contributors throughout the 2024 season.