Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1476228
6 S E P T E M B E R 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 E veryone knew that landing Jahan Dotson late in the 2018 recruiting cycle was a big win for Penn State, but no one could have predicted that he would go on to become the first Nittany Lion wide receiver since Bryant Johnson in 2003 to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. Losing Dotson is a problem for Penn State, but not an unexpected one. The team has had plenty of time to plan for his departure. Indeed, that's why PSU added Western Kentucky receiver Mitchell Tinsley via the transfer portal this offseason. The 6-foot-1, 206-pounder brings size and experience to the receivers room. He may have played at a lower level to this point, but his 1,466 career snaps rank first on the team, according to Pro Football Focus. Even with Tinsley in the fold, though, the class of 2020 will take center stage for Penn State this fall. Third-year soph- omores Parker Washington, Keandre Lambert-Smith and Malick Meiga are now in the spotlight for the team. PSU's top returning veteran, Wash- ington reprises his slot duties for the up- coming season with significant expecta- tions. The 5-10, 215-pound receiver has been a focal point of the offense for two seasons now and has the chance to be the team's lead player at the spot this fall. That is, if Tinsley doesn't absorb too many targets. The former Hilltopper standout finished with 1,403 yards re- ceiving and 14 touchdowns last season. On top of that, Tinsley was a viable deep threat. According to PFF, he tallied 477 yards on deep passes, more than Dotson did a year ago. While no one should take that as a sign that Tinsley is a better player than Dotson, it does show he's capable of filling that role to complement Washing- ton's possession-receiver game. Outside of the two players atop the depth chart, Penn State has many tal- ented but unproven wideouts vying for snaps. Fans have been awaiting Meiga's breakout ever since the 6-4, 200-pound wideout joined the team with the class of 2020. Yet, Lambert-Smith has gotten most of the playing time, while Meiga, a Ca- nadian football convert, adjusted to the American game. Despite his opportunities, Lambert- Smith has struggled with consistency. He's dropped 7 passes and failed to come down with a single contested catch over the past two seasons, accord- ing to PFF. Yet his talent as an explosive receiver is undeniable. He averaged 15.3 yards per reception last season, which led the team. The dark horse of the group is redshirt freshman Harrison "Trey" Wallace. The Alabama native joined the class of 2021 late in the process but has impressive physical skills. He's a former basketball prospect with great speed and leaping ability and turned heads last fall behind the scenes. If he can earn the trust of his coaches and become a factor, Penn State could have a deep and dynamic group of pass catchers this fall. Despite coming into the program as a perceived starter, Tinsley had some work to do this summer, head coach James Franklin said. From the sound of it, Tins- ley's testing numbers were not where the team wanted them to be. Franklin spoke positively about the prospects of him improving but made it clear that the improvement was nec- essary. "I think it's been really good for him from a testing perspective to be able to see the guys he's competing against — what they run, what they jump, all those types of things, to see some of those ex- plosive numbers and where he may want to improve," Franklin said. On the flip side, Washington was a noncontact participant in spring prac- tice. He played with a shoulder harness last season, so there's some reasonable speculation that he was playing injured in 2021. The 5-10 receiver is built like a running back, and his weight has been a storyline throughout his career. Last season, he was listed at 207 pounds on the official Penn State depth chart but now sits at 215. Is that good weight he added since the spring? Or has whatever kept him out of practice inhib- ited him from conditioning? The Lions brought in four talented freshmen in the class of 2022, a quartet headlined by four-star prospect Kaden Saunders of Columbus, Ohio. The 5-10 receiver had an impressive profile dur- ing high school, but his 160-pound weight was an issue. However, thanks to his early enroll- ment and dedication in the weight room, Saunders is up to 178 pounds, which is more than enough size to play as a freshman. Overall, I like Penn State's collec- tion of talent at receiver much more than I did last year. In 2021, Dotson and Washington were the obvious stars of the group, but there were few options to push Lambert-Smith if he struggled. This season, Penn State has the depth and talent to reach a higher level of consistency than it did a year ago. ■ Third-year sophomore wideout Parker Washington fin- ished second on the team in receiving each of his first two seasons with the Nittany Lions. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL Despite A Key Loss, PSU's Wideouts Could Be Trending Up JUDGMENT CALL O P I N I O N THOMAS FRANK CARR TFRANK.CARR@ON3.COM