Penn State Sports Magazine
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4 2 S E P T E M B E R 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 O P I N I O N THOMAS FRANK CARR T F R A N K .C A R R @ O N 3 .C O M T he rosters may be complete at this point in the college football calen- dar, but that doesn't mean teams can't change some aspect of their char- acter once preseason practice begins. At Penn State, an overhauled roster is getting set to take the field this season under first-year coach Matt Campbell. While the staff has had more than six months to figure out how the pieces fit together, coaches have to be nimble. If a player takes a step forward, the staff needs to be prepared to capitalize. Listed below are four players who could change the picture for the Nit- tany Lions with a strong showing in August. They aren't projected starters, but they have the potential to find a role or redefine the expectations at a specific position. Zay Robinson | WR Ever since the end of spring practice, sophomore Koby Howard has been penciled in as the starting slot receiver and the overall No. 3 player on the nonlinear receiver depth chart, trail- ing Iowa State transfers Chase Sowell and Brett Eskildsen. While fans may assume the offense will be all tight ends all the time, there are still plenty of reps available for receivers who can earn them. Robinson also arrived as part of the great Iowa State migration. A 5-foot-11, 186-pound redshirt freshman, he was the other top finisher in the Lions' three- man underclassman receiver competition while Sowell and Eskildsen missed most of spring practice with injuries. Robinson is a slot-type receiver who was in the most direct competition with Howard for snaps from 11-personnel formations (one running back, one tight end, three wide receivers). Howard had the lead going into preseason camp, but Round 2 is underway. Even if he stays ahead, that doesn't mean he's created a lot of separation. Robinson could earn a share of the slot snaps this year. He's an explosive two-way threat with quick- ness and burst. Karon Brookins | WR At 6-5, 205 pounds, Brookins is in a different category than Howard and Robinson. While Howard can prob- ably play the X receiver spot if needed, Brookins is the prototype — the best like-for-like backup to Sowell, a red- shirt senior who will start. If the light comes on, Brookins could earn a share of the outside snaps. To get there, the redshirt freshman needs to become more consistent and develop a better situational under- standing of offensive football. If he wants to take snaps at both outside spots, he'll also need to become a bet- ter blocker. Sowell has been a strong blocker throughout his career, and that's going to be an invaluable skill in Penn State's run-heavy offense under coordinator Taylor Mouser. Ideally, both Robinson and Brookins take a step in preseason camp and bol- ster the receiver depth so that Mouser and position coach Kashif Moore don't have to lean so heavily on Sowell and Eskildsen. Max Granville | DE No player has more of a chance to go from spring afterthought to potential starter than Granville. He's the Nit- tany Lions' most talented speed rusher and has put in the offseason work to bulk up; the redshirt sophomore is now listed at 6-3, 252 pounds. Granville was reportedly performing well in the run game last spring before an ACL injury forced him to miss the entire 2025 season. Despite his size, he has a well-rounded game with the tools to compete for a starting role, not just as a situational speed rusher. The one caveat is that the recent evaluations of Granville's potential come entirely from practice. He's played in only seven games so far, all as a true freshman in 2024. After two seasons on the Penn State roster, Granville remains a mystery. Armstrong Nnodim | DT Few players generated as much excite- ment this past spring as Nnodim. The 6-2, 310-pound redshirt sophomore transferred from Oklahoma State in January and quickly secured a spot in the Lions' two-deep. The questions now concern his role and snap share. Penn State brought in two starters from UCLA in redshirt seniors Keanu Williams and Siale Taupaki. Both are quality run de- fenders and solid veterans, but neither one blows you away with outstanding athletic traits. Nnodim's raw power and quickness could set him apart. That's the differ- ence between being the top reserve and a co-starter in the rotation. The clear area where Nnodim has needed work is technique. He's still developing under defensive line coach Ikaika Malloe, improving his play through contact, maintaining a square base while working through double teams and refining other fundamen- tals. If he cleans those up, watch out. ■ These Four Players Have The Most To Gain In August Armstrong Nnodim saw action in 12 games and made four starts at Oklahoma State last year before heading to Penn State via the transfer portal. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS UPON FURTHER REVIEW