Blue White Illustrated

I t's an imperfect science, usually, de- termining which players will and which players won't see the 8eld their 8rst year. If only it were as easy as skimming through the recruiting rankings and stat sheets, and then numerically prioritizing one a;er two a;er three... Instead it takes a unique combination of many in9uences. It's a perfect storm of sorts, one that necessitates the required skill set, size, maturity and, maybe most important, a spot on the depth chart that needs to be 8lled as quickly and e:ectively as possible. This year there are a few of those com- bos, speci8cally on the defensive line and the special teams unit. Penn State has lost both tackles to the NFL along with a backup who signed a free-agent contract, and the kicking unit is desperate for im- provement, which means there will be opportunities for at least a few incoming recruits to make an immediate impact this fall. Or at least that's the purpose for which they're being brought in. Moreover, the best all-purpose running back in the Class of 2016 joins the mix, supplementing a back8eld that includes one of BWI's 2015 Freshmen to Watch – Saquon Barkley. Like his predecessor, this new guy might just be too good to keep o: the 8eld as well. With that in mind, let's take a look, in no particular order, at some of the new- comers who might be called upon to play – and o;en – during their 8rst year with the Nittany Lions. TYRELL CHAVIS DT, 6-3, 295 Richmond, Va. When James Franklin extended a scholarship o:er to Chavis in the 12th hour of the recruiting process, it was with one intention in mind – for him to arrive on campus in June and immediately push for playing time at a position of major need. That's Chavis's plan, too. "I only have two years to play," he said. "Let's just put it that way. I'm coming and I'm ready to make an impact." Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing between 295 and 305 pounds, Chavis is considered one of the best junior college defensive line prospects of 2016 and has NFL tools, as he showed by totaling 12 tackles for loss last season at Nassau Community BRACE FOR IMPACT FOOTBALL | For these incoming Nittany Lions, preparation could meet opportunity BACKFIELD IN MOTION Sanders appears to have a chance to make an impact as a true freshman, even with Barkley returning as the Lions' first-team running back. Photo by Rivals.com N E W C O M E R S O F I N F L U E N C E

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