Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1524108
6 A U G U S T 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M S peed has been an emphasis for James Franklin since he arrived at Penn State a decade ago. The 2024 edition of the Nittany Lion football team is one of the fastest groups that Franklin and his staff have assembled. Here's a look at PSU's five fastest players: 5. Zion Tracy — 4.36 40-yard dash Tracy, a sophomore cornerback, earned his Penn State offer at camp be- fore his final prep season, in part by run- ning a 4.35-second 40-yard dash for the staff. That was at 170 pounds. He's now checking in at 183, and the speed is still there. Tracy missed the first few months of his college career recovering from an up- per-body injury, but he's gotten back on track and ended up burning his redshirt last season by playing in all 13 games. He was called upon for increased reps in the Peach Bowl and learned quickly what it takes to play the position at this level. Projected 2024 role: Penn State went to the transfer portal in the offsea- son to add sophomore A.J. Harris and redshirt senior Jalen Kimber to the cor- nerback corps. Competition this spring was as good as anywhere on the roster. Tracy, penciled in as a potential starter heading into the winter, now finds him- self fighting to get into the rotation. He probably came out of spring as the fifth guy there and got reps at the hy- brid "Lion" position as spring ball went along. 4. Nicholas Singleton — 4.35 Singleton has always been physically advanced, so him popping up on this list isn't a surprise. The junior running back checks in at 227 pounds, and he just keeps getting faster. That's tough to do, and it's also tough for others to replicate. Singleton is a freak Projected 2024 role: Penn State will enter 2024 in the same fashion as last year, with Singleton and fellow junior Kaytron Allen ready to share the car- ries. The hot-hand theory will be tested, but we're looking forward to seeing how first-year offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki uses both. One of the main points of emphasis this summer has been Singleton's im- provement as a receiver. Kotelnicki is expected to put both backs on the field at the same time, as well. It's a fresh start for everyone, and after a down year in 2023, that's good news for Singleton. 3. Omari Evans — 4.31 The past year was a wash for Evans, who went from the likely third receiver coming out of spring practice to a non- factor for most of his sophomore season. Evans dealt with some injuries, but even when he was full-go, there wasn't much usage. Half of his catches came in the season's final two games. He flashed more potential as a deep threat on one 60-yard catch against Michigan State than the rest of the room showed all sea- son. Evans finished with 4 catches for 94 yards and 1 score in 2023. Projected 2024 role: Penn State's wide receiver projections are all over the map for 2024. It's hard to predict who will be the first group to take the field in August, let alone which guys will rise to the top of the rotation. Evans will be in the mix, however. He's had a good off- season and, perhaps more than anyone else in that room, he has been able to benefit from a wave of offseason attri- tion. 2. Audavion Collins — 4.28 We had questions after the 2023 sea- son about how Collins, a former Mis- sissippi State transfer, would fit into the cornerback picture moving forward. He played in only six games last year, mainly on special teams. Penn State also went to the transfer portal in the winter and brought in two guys. When we got feedback this past winter saying that A.C. was having a great offseason so far, naturally we re- sponded, "Who's A.C.?" Once we real- ized it wasn't junior defensive end Abdul Carter, the praise seemed to come in steadily, and it lasted through the spring. Then Collins went out and popped a 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the end of spring. That was an eye-catcher. Projected 2024 role: PSU insiders have stressed that nobody on the roster has come further in the past six months than Collins, to the point where he's in the mix to start at cornerback. It's fun to be surprised sometimes. 1. Ethan Black — 4.26 Black, a redshirt freshman wide re- ceiver, shared the developmental squad's offensive player of the year award in 2023. The former PIAA 100-meter state champ was one that the coaches were excited to get as a walk-on ahead of the 2023 season out of Conemaugh Town- ship High, which is south of Johnstown. He impressed at camp several times and has shown some good hands in his time at receiver. Projected 2024 role: Penn State thinks Black has the potential to carve out a role at receiver thanks to his speed. Listed at 5-foot-9, 175 pounds, he's probably still a year away and will need to continue adding weight. His path to playing time could involve a role on spe- cial teams, perhaps as a gunner on the punt-coverage squad. ■ Receiver Omari Evans showed big-play potential with a 60-yard catch against Michigan State last season. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL These Players Will Help Get PSU Up To Speed JUDGMENT CALL O P I N I O N SEAN FITZ SEAN.FITZ@ON3.COM