Penn State’s Top 10 Players for 2026: Carson Hansen
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The BSD staff recently voted for the top 10 Penn State players heading into 2026. The votes are dictated by how the players are expected to perform in the upcoming season, without factoring in long-term or NFL potential. Each member submitted a ballot with players ranked 1-10, with a first-place vote being 10 points, a secrunning back Carson Hansen, who joined the team via transfer portal from Iowa State in the spring.
#10: RB Carson Hansen
How He Got Here
Carson Hansen committed to Iowa State as a 3-star prospect in 2023. Other Power Four offers included Kansas State and Northwestern for the Lakeville, MN native, though he had a total of 18 total offers to his name.
Carson saw the field immediately as a freshman, playing in 9 games and totaling 33 touches of the ball, both as a runner and as a receiver, though he did not score.
2024 was his most prolific scoring season, as he carried the rock 151 times for 752 yards and 13 scores, and hauled in 13 passes for 88 yards and another 2 TDs. 2025 saw his production go up with 188 carries for 952 yards and 19 receptions for 134 yards, but he only managed 6 TDs on the ground, and no receiving TDs. He suffered a concussion against Cincinnati midway through the season, and had a lower leg scare against Kansas but returned to play. He has otherwise been very healthy during his time in Ames.
What to Expect in 2026
If rumor mills are to be believed, it looks like Carson is in the driver’s seat to be RB1 when the season starts in September against Marshall. While other backs are in the mix, including transfer James Peoples and homegrown talents in Quinton Martin and Cam Wallace, it looks like Hansen has taken over the top spot. This is largely due to the fact that he is already comfortable with new offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser’s system.
This is a boon for Penn State as it breaks in a brand new coaching staff and new players at every position. Having a running back that already knows the offense and can take charge while the others continue to learn the offense helps everyone. While we’d like to see his scoring go up in 2026, if he’s able to churn out 5.1 yards per carry and 7.1 yards per catch like he did in his last season at Iowa State, the offense is going to have a good time. Add in Peoples, Martin, and Wallace in rotation, and Carson should lead a robust stable of backs in 2026.
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