Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 45-0vs Marshall | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 1 | 8 | |
| Wk 2 | W 27-9@ Temple | 5 | 79 | 15.8 | 2 | 23 | Season-high 79 yds |
| Total | 6 | 87 | 11.9 | 3 | 23 |
#18
Benjamin Brahmer
Senior tight end for Penn State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′7″ · 250 lb · Pierce, NE · Pierce
CFB Index 68 · #20 of 156 TEsMedium-low confidenceTransferred Iowa State → Penn State for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
87
receiving yards · 2026
6 catches · 3 TD · 14.5 per catch
2 games into 2026 so far
Swing playSwung Penn State from 56% to 80% to win.Penn State at Temple · 27-9
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 tight end for Penn State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Iowa State in 2023.
- Transferred from Iowa State to Penn State in 2026.
Buzz vs Tape
There's real chatter about him this season — just not enough of his own fan discourse yet to measure it against anything.
Benjamin Brahmer
Is the first read once you cross the 20. He got to Penn State by way of Iowa State. 2025 brought the first one: All-Big 12. The receipt: 79 rec yds, 5 receptions against Temple — Week 2, 2026.
87 REC YDS · 6 REC · 3 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- portal record
- recognition record
- game log
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
The week the volume broke through — stacked 2 td vs South Dakota.South Dakota · W 55-72025
202313 games
- Signed with Iowa State3-star out of Pierce
202512 games
- All-Big 12second
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Trophy case · Confirmed honors
What the selectors said
🎖
ALL-BIG 12 · 2ND TEAM
All-Big 12 2nd team (2025)
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
3 coachesPlayed under 3 different head coaches: James Franklin, Terry Smith, and Matt Campbell. Multi-era developmental context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Penn State
2025Iowa State
2026Penn State
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Iowa State7-6HC: Matt Campbell · Balanced, slow tempo
2024Iowa State11-3HC: Matt Campbell · Balanced
2025Iowa State8-4HC: Matt Campbell · Run-leaning
2026Penn State2-0HC: Matt Campbell · Run-leaning
Where this profile ranks vs the TE cohort
Box-score percentiles
Medium-low confidenceAscending
Elite: rec tds (93rd percentile). Strength: yards / catch (86th percentile). Concern: receptions (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 3.0 REC/g, 43.5 YDS/g, 11.9 YPR, 1.5 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Matt Campbell
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Penn State | 6 | 87 | 14.5 | 3 | -- |
| 2025 | Iowa State | 37 | 446 | 12.1 | 6 | -- |
| 2024 | Iowa State | 10 | 179 | 17.9 | 1 | -- |
| 2023 | Iowa State | 28 | 352 | 12.6 | 2 | -- |
| Career | 81 | 1,064 | 13.1 | 12 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 27–9
at Temple
Game log
How he plays
Play style
The first read called near the goal line — size and catch radius do the rest.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Red-Zone Weapon
The first read called near the goal line — size and catch radius do the rest.
TE
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Jared Wiley’s 2022 season.
Matches Jared on
Total EPA (college ability)
Yards / reception
Height
Differs from Jared on
Reception volume (higher)
EPA / play (adj) (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Brett Norfleet's junior season at Missouri (2025).
78%match
Matches Brett on
Total EPA (college ability)
Weight
Height
Differs from Brett on
Recruiting rating (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Benjamin Brahmer
Heisman trajectory
Heisman Trajectory · 2026
Peak #189
Peaked at #189 this season.
The tight end room · Penn State
- #18Benjamin Brahmer446 receiving yards · 2025
- #84Gabe Burkle302 receiving yards · 2025
- #87Andrew Rappleyea180 receiving yards · 2025
- #80Cooper Alexander47 receiving yards · 2025
- #89Finn Furmanekno box-score line yet
1 more on the roster · Penn State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology