The most recent NCAA Transfer Portal departure from Penn State has found his destination. And he’s headed to the ACC.
Former Penn State defensive end Smith Vilbert announced his commitment to Bill Belichick and North Carolina out of the transfer portal Wednesday night.
Vilbert is entering his seventh season of college eligibility, and he’s slated to finish his career with the Tar Heels.
Vilbert posted the following message to X, along with a commitment graphic:
PSU Family I just wanted to say I appreciate all the love and support over the years that I’ve been apart of this program. I’ve met some great individuals that I can honestly call my brother’s, and some great coaches. I am Glad I can officially say I am a PSU graduate/alumni thank you!
Last ride best ride!!!-The HaitianSention is coming. LFG#GoHeels
LFG-#GoHeels pic.twitter.com/ishZvsI5iT
— Smithvilbert (@Smithvilbert2) March 20, 2025
247Sports rated Vilbert as a four-star prospect in the portal, and he was ranked as the No. 17 edge and No. 142 overall transfer in the cycle.
Vilbert’s departure from the program last month was sudden. Just a couple days after Vilbert was with his teammates at The Lasch Building for the THON Explorers program, news broke that Vilbert was departing the program, and he was removed from the roster.
It was an abrupt end to a Penn State career that featured a couple detours and some fits and starts. Overall, Vilbert recorded 20 tackles (10 solo), eight tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass breakup in 35 games in six seasons.
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In 2024, Vilbert appeared in all 16 games and finished with 12 tackles (four solo), four tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass breakup.
Vilbert was poised to be a key member of the defensive end rotation in 2025 following the departure of Abdul Carter for the NFL and the expiration of Amin Vanover‘s eligibility.
The 6-foot-6, 282-pound Vilbert will turn 24 years old in May. He arrived at Penn State in the Class of 2019 out of Montvale (N.J.) St. Joseph Regional as a three-star prospect that 247Sports ranked as the No. 19 player in New Jersey and the No. 39 strong-side defensive end.
He appeared in two games while redshirting that year, and then he appeared in four games during the COVID-altered 2020 season. Vilbert moved into a full-time role in 2021 when he appeared in 12 games. He ended the season on a high note with three first-half sacks in the loss to Arkansas in the Outback Bowl.
Then, Vilbert endured two lost seasons. He missed the 2022 regular season — he returned for the Rose Bowl — for undisclosed reasons. Then, he missed the 2023 season because of an injury. A medical redshirt paved the way for Vilbert to spend a seventh season in Happy Valley. Instead, that will happen in Chapel Hill.
“I’m beyond motivated because I’ve got family to feed,” Vilbert told Lions247 in 2024. “They’ve been behind me — pushing me to stay positive one day at a time.”
Daniel Gallen covers Penn State for Lions247 and 247Sports. He can be reached at daniel.gallen@paramount.com. Follow Daniel on X at @danieljtgallen, Instagram at @bydanieljtgallen and Bluesky at @danieljtgallen.bsky.social.
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