Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1543434
1 4 M A R C H 2 0 2 6 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Point – Counterpoint Wide Receiver Chase Sowell Could Energize The Passing Attack GREG PICKEL: While there are plenty of potential impact players in this year's transfer class, Sowell stands out as a proven performer at a position of extreme need. Penn State returns very little experience at wide re- ceiver, and Sowell, a 6-foot-3, 210-pound red- shirt senior, has enjoyed a fine college career. He was the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year and an honorable mention all-conference selection after catching 32 passes for 500 yards and 2 touchdowns in 2025. Before becoming a Cyclone, Sowell spent time at East Caro- lina and Colorado. The frequent movement means he should be fine with having to learn from new receivers coach Kashif Moore after Noah Pauley left for the Green Bay Packers. "Chase started the '25 season banged up, and he had a tough spring ball and then got hurt in fall camp, and so he missed a little bit of that development that is important, especially learning a new offense," Pauley told reporters shortly before heading to the NFL. "He knows [the offense] and now can really develop the other things he's got to work on from a re- ceiver standpoint." Sowell can run the whole route tree and is the most expe- rienced pass catcher on the Lions' new roster. He figures to be featured heavily by offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser and will work hand-in-hand with redshirt senior quarterback Rocco Becht to make a big impact this fall. Linebacker Caleb Bacon Provides Leadership And Toughness RYAN SNYDER: I was tempted to pick an offensive player, mostly because I'm intrigued with receiver Keith Jones Jr., who transferred to Penn State from Gram- bling. While Jones needs to adapt to college football's highest level, multiple sources in- side the Lasch Building have pointed to the redshirt sophomore as a potential X-factor next season. However, I've also believed that Penn State has been lackluster at linebacker the past few years. The Lions got away with it in 2024 because Kobe King and Tony Rojas stayed healthy. That wasn't the case in 2025. Rojas is still the most athletically gifted linebacker in that room heading into his redshirt junior season, but I can't help but wonder how Bacon will impact a Penn State defense that strayed from its Linebacker U identity in recent years. A 6-foot-4, 240-pound redshirt senior and Iowa State team captain, Bacon is the biggest linebacker on the roster and has graded out well throughout his college career, including a 76.4 run-defense mark from Pro Football Focus as a junior. His size allowed the Cyclones to rush him off the edge at times, and that's an area where PSU could lack depth in 2026. Those who know Bacon best love his work ethic and leader- ship. He may not lead Penn State in tackles or be a first-team All-Big Ten choice, but there's a strong belief inside Lasch that he will be a critical part of the defense. BWI LIVE! Monday and Wednesday Join the show live to interact with us in the live chat function. You can also ask a question for the BWI Mailbag, which ends the show. www.youtube.com/c/bluewhiteillustratedvideo Listen to the podcasts on Apple and Spotify Watch all of our shows on YouTube on the Blue White Illustrated channel After Quarterback Rocco Becht, Who Will Be PSU's Most Impactful Transfer In 2026? Chase Sowell Caleb Bacon