Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1503568
A U G U S T 2 0 2 3 7 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / D E F E N S I V E B A C K S / / / / / / / • Played in 12 games in 2021 after transferring from South Carolina and totaled 10 tackles and 2 pass breakups. KALEN KING Jr. | 5-11 | 191 • Received second-team All-America honors from the Walter Camp Football Foundation and a third-team nod from Pro Football Focus last year after ranking third in the FBS with 21 passes defended (3 interceptions, 18 breakups). • Burned his redshirt after playing in all 13 games, and starting one, during his first college season in 2021. • Made 23 tackles and added 5 pass breakups and a forced fumble as a freshman. CAM MILLER So. | 6-0 | 182 • Appeared in 11 games as a true freshman last fall and made 5 tackles. • Helped lead Trinity Christian (Fla.) Academy to a 10-4 record and Class 2A state title as a senior. Safety KEATON ELLIS Sr. | 5-11 | 192 • Started 13 games as a fourth-year junior and finished with 24 tackles, 2 stops for loss and 7 pass breakups. • Made one start and played in 11 games during the 2021 season, finishing with 18 tackles and a pass breakup. • As a true sophomore in 2020, tallied 12 tackles and an interception in six games, five of which he started. • In his true freshman season, posted 18 tackles in 13 games (made one start). MEHKI FLOWERS R-Fr. | 6-0 | 197 • Appeared in two games during his true freshman season at Penn State. • Had 65 tackles, 5 stops for loss, 2 sacks and 2 interceptions as a senior at Cen- tral Dauphin (Pa.) East. TYRECE MILLS R-Jr. | 6-1 | 200 • Did not see action in his first season with the Nittany Lions after transfer- ring from Lackawanna College. • Finished with 35 tackles, 3 intercep- tions and 5 pass breakups during Lack- awanna's seven-game 2021 season. JAYLEN REED Jr. | 6-0 | 208 • Appeared in all 13 games as a sopho- more, finishing with 31 tackles, 2 for loss, 3 pass breakups and a quarterback hurry. • Burned his redshirt as a true freshman by play- ing in eight games during the 2021 season and totaling 6 tackles. ZAKEE WHEATLEY R-So. | 6-2 | 196 • Played in 12 games as a redshirt freshman and finished with 27 tackles, 2 interceptions and a forced fumble. • As a freshman in 2021, played in four games but ultimately redshirted. KEVIN WINSTON JR. So. | 6-2 | 204 • Played in 12 games, forgoing a redshirt year and finishing with 16 tackles. • Finished with 50 tackles, 10 pass breakups, 3 interceptions and a fumble recovery as a senior at DeMatha Catholic in Hyattsville, Md. NEWCOMERS Cornerback AUDAVION COLLINS R-Fr. | 5-11 | 170 • Transferred to Penn State in May after begin- ning his career at Mississippi State, where he redshirted as a true freshman in 2022. • Finished with 62 tackles, 19 pass breakups and an interception as a senior at Newton High in Covington, Ga. • Earned a three-star rating and was the No. 82 cornerback nationally and the No. 82 player in Georgia in the 2022 recruiting cycle, per the On3 Industry Ranking. LAMONT PAYNE JR. Fr. | 6-0 | 197 • Totaled 43 tackles and 4 interceptions as a se- nior at Chartiers Valley High in Carnegie, Pa. • Earned a three-star rating and was the No. 68 safety in the country and No. 15 player in Penn- sylvania, per the On3 Industry Ranking. ZION TRACY Fr. | 5-11 | 182 • Finished with 3 interceptions as a senior at Long Island (N.Y.) Lutheran in 2021 before doing a postgrad year at St. Thomas More (Conn.). • Received a three-star grade and was the No. 55 safety in the land per the On3 Industry Ranking. ELLIOT WASHINGTON II Fr. | 5-11 | 192 • Had 36 tackles, 8 pass breakups and 4 intercep- tions during his senior season at Venice (Fla.) High. • Earned a four-star rating and was the No. 163 overall prospect, No. 19 cornerback and No. 36 player in Florida, per the On3 Industry Ranking. Safety KING MACK Fr. | 5-10 | 190 • Totaled 58 tackles, including 5 for loss, and had 2 interceptions as a senior at St. Thomas Aqui- nas High in Miami. • Earned a four-star grade and was the No. 93 prospect and No. 8 safety nationally, and the No. 23 player in Florida, per the On3 Industry Ranking. DaKAARI NELSON Fr. | 6-3 | 217 • Amassed 72 tackles, 7 intercep- tions, 7 pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery as a senior at Selma (Ala.) High. • Received a four-star rating and was the No. 177 prospect and No. 14 safety in the country, and the No. 15 player in Alabama, per the On3 Industry Ranking. Safety Keaton Ellis was a 13-game starter for the Lions last year and finished fourth on the team with 7 pass breakups. PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE