Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1516624
M A R C H 2 0 2 4 4 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / P L A Y E R B I O S / / / / / / / P enn State was one of the first pro- grams to realize that Luke Reynolds could be a tight end at the college level. The Massachusetts native and Cheshire (Conn.) Academy standout was a quarter- back originally, and if that detail sounds familiar, it should. Current PSU senior Tyler Warren was a high school quarter- back in Virginia when the Nittany Lions began recruiting him, and he has since gone on to enjoy an outstanding career as a college tight end. Reynolds' position change began tak- ing shape during his junior season. The Penn State coaches worked him out at tight end at a camp in the summer of 2022 and were impressed. That fall, his high school coach decided to see how Reynolds would fare at the position in game action. Success quickly followed. "For the first game, I was just playing quarterback," Reynolds said. "During the second game is when we started switching back and forth. We had another quarter- back on the team, Drew Hall, who's com- mitted to Navy. He was a senior, so every time I was in at quarterback, he would go play the H-back or tight end position. Then we would go vice versa: He would go to the quarterback position, and I would try H-back or tight end. "We saw a lot of positive things when I was at tight end, so we just kind of kept it going from there. By the end of the sea- son, I was playing the majority of my time at tight end." Penn State extended a scholarship offer on March 18, 2023, following an unofficial visit. Reynolds committed to the Lions a week later and was set on his college des- tination from that point forward. "I would say the environment was big for me," Reynolds said. "We got to at- tend a practice, so seeing the energy from the coaches and players was really un- matched. "But there were so many benefits. I would also say the proximity to home [was important]. They play some of the best college football in the nation there, so being able to play at that level, on the East Coast where my parents can attend the games, that's a big thing." Penn State's initial evaluation was backed up by Reynolds' meteoric rise in the recruiting rankings. When he com- mitted, he was No. 977 nationally and No. 47 at tight end in the On3 Industry Rank- ing. But then he impressed at the Elite 11 Finals last summer and was an All-22 MVP. In the fall, he caught 48 passes for 754 yards for Cheshire Academy, aver- aging a gaudy 15.7 yards per reception. That performance propelled him to No. 62 in the On3 Industry Ranking and No. 4 among tight ends. Now he's hoping to parlay his Janu- ary enrollment at Penn State into a shot at earning playing time during his true freshman season. Said Reynolds, "It's go- ing to be a great opportunity to jump start my college development process and get around the guys and get into the tight end room quicker." — Greg Pickel TE | 6-4 | 228 Cheshire (Conn.) Academy Westford, Mass. Rankings Stars Nat. Pos. State On3 Industry ★★★★ 62 4 1 On3 ★★★★ 74 4 2 ESPN ★★★★ 70 5 2 Rivals ★★★★ 194 9 2 247Sports ★★★★★ 29 1 1 Statistics • Caught 48 passes for 754 yards (15.7 yards per catch) and scored 9 touchdowns as a senior • Recorded 56 tackles, including 2 for loss, and 3 interceptions while playing defense Notable • Earned invitations to the All-American Bowl and Under Armour All-America Game • Was named MVP of the New England Pre- paratory School Athletic Council as a senior • Led Cheshire Academy to a win in the NEP- SAC Bowl Championship in 2023 Recruitment • Committed to Penn State on March 25, 2023 • Recruited by tight ends coach Ty Howle • Picked Penn State over Wisconsin, Virginia Tech and Duke • Officially visited on June 9, 2023 2024 Projection Reynolds comes to Penn State with the look of a ready-made impact player. He shot up the recruiting rankings during his senior season and has the size and athleticism to play early. The problem is that he enters a tight ends room that returns five scholarship players, in- cluding senior Tyler Warren, a 12-game starter last season. We envision Reynolds as the type of player who could see action in four regular- season games but will only forgo a redshirt if injuries at the position leave the coaching staff with no choice. They Said It BWI analyst Thomas Frank Carr: "Give me a bouncy, athletic and explosive athlete any day. Make him a 6-foot-4 athlete, and I'm all in. Luke Reynolds has some of the most fun film you can find in this class. He also got after it as a safety this past season, which makes you feel good about his future tenacity as a run blocker. But the bottom line is that he does things ath- letically that make you sit up in your seat." Reynolds comes to Penn State as one of the top tight end prospects in the country, placing fourth at the posi- tion in the On3 Industry Ranking. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER LUKE REYNOLDS New England prospect skyrockets after excelling at tight end T H E R E Y N O L D S F I L E