Multisport star Lonnie White Jr. had al-
ready earned and accepted a scholarship
to Clemson for baseball, but a>er receiv-
ing an o=er from Penn State, he decided
to er the catch. Both as a quarterback
and as a receiver, White showed an ability
to read his blocks and make subtle ad-
justments to gain extra yards. He is also
very hard to hit and does a good job of
avoiding direct contact and getting extra
yards out of the play.
UNDERSTANDING
COVERAGE
Being on
the same page as the quarterback and
seeing the defense through the same lens
is a massive bonus for a receiver. As a for-
mer high school quarterback, White
should bring a basic understanding of
coverages to the Nittany Lions as a re-
ceiver. This will give him a leg up on un-
derstanding what is expected of him and
should accelerate his ability to absorb the
playbook. White will have to make up
ground on his development at his posi-
tion, so anything that helps his transition
and unlocks his physical skills is a bonus.
AREAS OF IMPROVEMENT
ROUTE RUNNING It's hard to project a
quick transition for even the most tal-
ented receivers at the next level. The po-
sition is so nuanced and technical that
even physically talented players can
struggle to create separation in college.
White is a very good athlete but was a
raw route runner his sophomore season
before switching to quarterback. He'll be
behind in his positional skill develop-
ment and will have to put extra time and
e=ort into making up that ground. For-
tunately for White, his future coach,
Taylor Stubble;eld, is a well-known
teacher of the position and has shown an
ability to help players elevate their game.
Penn State has added several receivers
over the past two recruiting cycles, so
White should be able to take a redshirt if
he needs it.
LATERAL AGILITY Going o= of the pre-
vious point, White doesn't seem to have
an issue cutting or moving laterally, but
he'll need to do it more – and more ef-
fectively – in order to become a better
receiver. There isn't a lot of evidence
that he can cut hard at the stem of his
route and burst in a new direction.
While on the run, his movement skills
suggest that he has loose,
