Blue White Illustrated

that he is best suited to the o9ensive line. DEFENSIVE TACKLE With Kevin Givens leaving early to enter the dra:, P.J. Mustipher appears to be the logical choice to replace him at the three-tech- nique tackle spot. Mustipher was im- pressive as a freshman last season. He played in 12 games, totaling 14 tackles and a sack. Franklin said at the beginning of spring practice that Mustipher has become "a man." He had an excellent winter in the weight room and entered spring practice at 6-4, 300 pounds. Mustipher has quick feet for a player of his size, and I expect him to pair with Windsor on the 7rst-team defensive line this fall. DEFENSIVE END Going into spring practice, I believed one of the best posi- tion battles on either o9ense or defense would be at the weakside defensive end spot between redshirt juniors Shane Simmons and Shaka Toney and redshirt freshman Jayson Oweh. Whether it's been a three-man battle this spring is unknown; when the media attended Penn State's practice sessions on March 20 and 27, Simmons wasn't participat- ing. But this position will still bear watching in the Blue-White Game due to the presence of Oweh. Of all the underclassman players on the Nittany Lions' 2019 spring roster, I believe that Oweh has made the biggest physical transformation. He arrived on campus weighing 228 pounds last year, but on the roster that Penn State re- leased at the start of spring practice, he was up to 250, and strength coach Dwight Galt indicated at the conclusion of winter workouts that Oweh was closer to 260. Galt called him a "freak athlete." During the team's testing session in late February, Oweh bench pressed 390 pounds, was able to squat 545 pounds, posted a 4.45-second 40-yard time, had a vertical leap of 36.5 inches and power cleaned 355 pounds. It's no wonder that he has been hailed as a player with the potential to enjoy a breakout season in 2019. He might be the most impactful underclassman on the current roster, and fans should de7nitely keep an eye on him in the Blue-White Game. CORNERBACK Eleven members of Penn State's Class of 2019 enrolled in January, and there's been speculation that as many as seven of those players could end up playing in more than four games and thus forgoing redshirts this coming season. Two of the players who look like they're putting themselves in position to see extensive action this fall are cor- nerbacks Keaton Ellis and Marquis Wil- son. Franklin said he and his sta9 have been very excited about what they've seen from those two young defensive backs. "I think the two corners, both Keaton and Marquis, are really doing some good things," he said. "The farther away you are from the ball, it helps with that. But they have been impressive. They've both got length and they've got ball skills. I think the fact that both were high school receivers really helps. They are con7dant 7nding the ball in the air. So those guys have 8ashed a lot of really good things, and I think there's a buzz and excitement right now with the players and, I think, the coaches." I've been covering Penn State football for nearly four decades and have never seen so many underclassmen battling for starting positions in spring practice. In addition to the ones I've mentioned here, Penn State fans should pay atten- tion in the Blue-White Game to redshirt freshman wideouts Justin Shorter and Daniel George and redshirt sophomore safety Jonathan Sutherland. The emergence of these players proves how well Franklin and his sta9 have re- cruited the past three years. ■

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