Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 45-0vs Marshall | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 27-9@ Temple | 3 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 6 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#31
Marcus Neal
Junior safety on Penn State's 2026 roster.
6′1″ · 216 lb · Kansas City, MO
CFB Index 82 · #33 of 544 safetiesMedium 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.
Recruiting
3★
S recruit
No. 1082 nationally · Signed with Iowa State
No college snaps yet.
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 safety on Penn State's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Iowa State in 2024.
- Transferred from Iowa State to Penn State in 2026.
Buzz vs Tape
Fans warmer than rivals
His own fans are far more bullish than the rival fanbase.
21.4own fans
-70rival fans
Marcus Neal
Plays like an extra linebacker near the line. Marcus Neal arrived at Penn State from Iowa State. One game to point at: 3 tackles against Temple — Week 2, 2026.
6 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- portal record
- game log
His career
4 programs, one constant: he played.
20247 games
- Signed with Iowa State3-star out of Raytown South
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
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
2024Iowa State11-3HC: Matt Campbell · Balanced
2025Iowa State8-4HC: Matt Campbell · Run-leaning
2026Penn State2-0HC: Matt Campbell · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidenceReinvented
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 3.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/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 · 2025
Impact starter
Tackle volume for the position among the most productive regulars.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
82 · #33 of 544 safeties
Three-star recruit. Now #33 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Penn State | 6 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Iowa State | 77 | 40 | 11.0 | 1.0 | 3 | 2 | -- |
| 2024 | Iowa State | 18 | 6 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 101 | 52 | 12.0 | 2.0 | 3 | 2 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 27–9
at Temple
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Box Safety
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
S
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Mike Brown’s 2021 season.
69%match
Matches Mike on
TFL rate
Weight
PD rate
Differs from Mike on
Class year (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Myles Graham's sophomore season at Florida (2025).
83%match
Matches Myles on
Class year
Tackle volume
PD rate
Differs from Myles on
TFL rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Marcus Neal
The secondary · Penn State
- #31Marcus Neal77 tackles · 2025
- #3Jamison Patton48 tackles · 2025
- #2Audavion Collins47 tackles · 2025
- #7Zion Tracy32 tackles · 2025
- #5Daryus Dixson24 tackles · 2025
16 more on the roster · Penn State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology