Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1545675
A U G U S T 2 0 2 6 3 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / T H E O F F E N S E / / / / / / / atop this list is a 59.9 percent completion rate over the past two seasons. Injuries were part of the issue last year, but Becht also struggled with accuracy in 2024. He would have ranked 16th among Big Ten quarterbacks in completion per- centage under 10 yards and 11th in in- termediate accuracy over that span. To be the Lions' top offensive player, Becht needs to improve in this area. 4. Chase Sowell | WR Sowell is a dangerous deep threat with an exceptional highlight reel, but he lacked consistency on short passes last year. He had more targets underneath and more drops on those plays — 4 — than fel- low ISU-to-PSU transfer Brett Eskildsen. Sowell needs to play with more con- sistency, but the talent and ability to take over a game are evident. We'll see if he gets the same target share in a more tal- ent-rich environment. For now, the 6-3, 203-pound redshirt senior is the main hope for Penn State to have an explosive and dangerous offense in 2026. 5. Malachi Goodman | OT Throughout spring practice, Penn State's coaching staff gushed about Goodman, a 6-6, 330-pound redshirt freshman who will man the starting left tackle position this fall. Campbell said of Goodman, "He's 330, and he looks like he's 250. … He may be a redshirt freshman, but I feel like his ma- turity and physical ability are way beyond that." Offensive line coach Ryan Clanton said, "He's long, he's aggressive and he's smart, and he does a good job of retaining infor- mation and putting it out there on the field." Mouser echoed both of those assess- ments, describing Goodman as "one of the most talented guys I've ever seen with my own two eyes." He's yet to see action for the Nittany Lions, but it's tough to imagine this staff giving Goodman the starting nod at a cru- cial position if they didn't think he had a chance to excel. 6. Brock Riker | C A transfer from Texas State, Riker played more offensive snaps last season (868) than anyone on Penn State's roster. He was very good as a redshirt freshman, allowing a knockdown rate (sacks plus quarterback hits) of just 0.2 percent. It's easier for a center to hold up in pass protection thanks to natural interior help, but Riker is an exceptional athlete who played well above his size in most situa- tions last year. The good news for Penn State is that he's now considerably closer to Big Ten-sized with a listed weight of 291 pounds after an offseason in the Li- ons' weight and nutrition program. 7. Carson Hansen | RB Campbell has described Hansen as "steady" and "reliable" this offseason. Those are not the kind of words that get fans excited. However, those traits — combined with vision, anticipation and willingness to dive into any pile — make the 6-2, 216-pound senior an invaluable asset. Providing a steady heartbeat for the of- fense and reliably getting 5 yards when only 3 were available is incredibly valu- able. Hansen also generates explosive runs, just not the breakaway home runs. 8. Andrew Rappleyea | TE There's a world in which Rappleyea is the Lions' top tight end, but the stats and highlights don't yet match that percep- tion. The 6-4, 242-pound redshirt junior is a gritty, tough run blocker who does the dirty work that doesn't garner the same attention as a big play downfield. Rappleyea is lower on this list because he missed spring practice with an injury, preventing us from learning more about his role this fall. 9. Trevor Buhr | G The only starting offensive lineman to follow Campbell and his staff from Iowa State to PSU, Buhr is a Big Ten-caliber player. At 6-4, 318 pounds, he has the power and movement skills to be a qual- ity starter. The redshirt junior will need to be a rock of stability at the left guard spot, given that he projects to start next to a redshirt freshman in Goodman and is the only first-team lineman with experience in this offense beyond a few months. 10. Brett Eskildsen | WR As a sophomore at Iowa State last year, Eskildsen served as a potent deep threat opposite Sowell. The 6-1, 198-pounder generated 306 yards and 3 touchdowns on 7 deep receptions — both team-highs. He's fast, with impressive size and length to match. However, Eskildsen caught only 12 of his 21 targets under 10 yards last season, which isn't good enough for a player who needs to be one of the top two at his posi- tion this year. It was his first full season as a starter, so he has more talent than his current ranking indicates. 11. Cooper Cousins | G Penn State's junior right guard will have a chance to climb this list quickly in the fall. If he forms an imposing run-blocking duo with Donkoh, the Lions will likely run right more often than not. At 6-6, 320 pounds, Cousins has the requisite size and talent. He just needs to play with consistency and execute at a higher level. He's a plus athlete who can pull and has improved his pass blocking. We're putting him at the bottom of this list knowing it's probably too low. ■ Andrew Rappleyea's blocking prowess from his tight end spot figures to be a big asset for the Nittany Lions in 2026. PHOTO BY FRANK HYATT