Penn State Sports Magazine
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3 0 A P R I L 2 0 2 2 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M 9 Joey Porter. Jr. CB | R-Jr. | 6-2 | 196 Your top cornerback is always going to be one of the most important players on the roster, and Porter is no exception. Having made the choice to return rather than heading for the professional ranks, he gives the Nittany Lions a physical pres- ence on the outside — and, crucially, two years' worth of starting experience. He finished last season with 50 tackles, four pass breakups and an interception. 10 Nick Singleton RB | Fr. | 6-0 | 219 Singleton arrived this winter as the first Penn State commit to win the Gatorade National Player of the Year award. A five- star prospect and the top running back in the Class of 2022, he has received plenty of hype, especially given the way Penn State's running backs performed last sea- son. There's no guarantee that Singleton will receive the majority of the snaps. But if he does acclimate quickly, he looks to be the kind of player who can elevate Penn State's offense significantly. That's why he's in the top 10 here. 11 Olu Fashanu OT | So. | 6-6 | 310 Fashanu looked excellent for the Nit- tany Lions in his cameo appearances last season, and he seems primed to become one of the young offensive linemen Penn State will count on to raise their level in the trenches. Playing a key role protecting Clifford's blind side in the Outback Bowl, Fashanu proved to be a bright spot on an otherwise difficult day. He was starting in place of the injured Rasheed Walker — the first start of his college career — and earned an 87.5 pass-blocking grade and a 69.3 run- blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. 12 Keyvone Lee RB | Jr. | 6-0 | 234 Lee is suddenly the most experienced running back in Penn State's room, with 197 career carries to his name as he enters his third year on campus — 64 more than senior Devyn Ford. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry last season running behind an offensive line that struggled mightily, to- taling 495 yards and two touchdowns. Lee figures to be pushed by Singleton, among others, as the Nittany Lions sort out their running back hierarchy follow- ing the departure of Noah Cain. 13 Hunter Nourzad OL | Sr. | 6-4 | 300 A transfer from Cornell, Nourzad comes in as an X-factor on the offensive line for the Nittany Lions. He played right tackle for the Big Red but is expected to move inside at Penn State when he arrives on campus after graduating in May. Nourzad ranked second in the Ivy League for fewest tackles for loss allowed last season and earned second-team All-America honors at the FCS level. At a position where the Nittany Lions des- perately need help, it's imperative that Nourzad hits the ground running. 14 Brenton Strange TE | R-Jr. | 6-3 | 248 Strange headlined a position group that didn't quite live up to expectations last year. He finished the season catching 20 of his 34 targets for 225 yards. PFF gave him an 80.0 run-blocking grade and a 62.8 pass-blocking grade. 15 Theo Johnson TE | Jr. | 6-6 | 254 Johnson's first full season of action saw him catch 18 of his 27 targets for 212 yards and a score. He struggled at times as a blocker, especially in the run game ac- cording to PFF's metrics. He's a player who could certainly end up much higher on this list at season's end if he starts to move closer to his athletic ceiling. Johnson seemed to have a productive winter, earning recognition from tight ends coach Ty Howle for five of Penn State's seven on-field winter workout sessions. 16 Landon Tengwall OL | R-Fr. | 6-6 | 330 The third offensive lineman on this list is Tengwall, who emerged to play 117 snaps down the stretch of debut season while retaining his freshman eligibility. Tengwall is a player who can be moved around a bit as the Nittany Lions try to as- semble their most effective starting com- bination. He's certainly a player with the upside to help the offensive line improve in 2022. In a limited sample, he received an 85.2 run-block and 79.4 pass-block grade from PFF last season — both excel- lent marks. 17 Juice Scruggs C/G | Sr. | 6-3 | 319 Every single offensive lineman is cru- cial for the Nittany Lions this season, and Scruggs definitely won't be the only one on this list. Scruggs split his time between right guard and center last season, start- ing all 13 of Penn State's games. He seems positioned to slot in at center in 2022, fol- lowing the departure of Mike Miranda. Scruggs finished the season with a 66.4 pass block grade and a 68.2 run block grade from PFF. 18 Daequan Hardy CB | R-Jr. | 5-9 | 182 Often overlooked within his role as Penn State's slot corner, Hardy was reli- able and consistent for the Nittany Lions last season. He nearly doubled his snap count from the previous season, playing 314 snaps on defense, 232 of which came in coverage situations. Hardy finished the season with six pass breakups, two interceptions and a 74.6 coverage grade from PFF. He's already a real asset for the Nittany Lions, and it will be interesting to see if he can build on what he did a year ago. 19 Kalen King CB | So. | 5-11 | 186 While it's unclear who exactly will be replacing Tariq Castro-Fields at one of PSU's starting cornerback spots, the snap counts from last season indicate King is an early favorite. He started and played 69 of Penn State's 80 defensive snaps when Castro-Fields sat out the Outback Bowl. King finished the season with 21 tackles, one forced fumble, and a 65.2 coverage grade from PFF. Late last season, coach James Frank- lin challenged King to take the next step in his progression. We'll see soon if he is meeting that challenge.