Penn State Spring Position Preview: Wide Receiver
How does Penn State's wide receiver room look entering the spring? Nittany Nation takes a look.
Football Penn State Spring Position Preview: Wide Receiver
- Thread starter Dylan Callaghan-Croley
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Great write-up. KLS had a great rose bowl and should be chomping at the bit to start up the '23 season. The xfers both pass the looks test, but I don't know what to expect.
KLS needs to lose the "pulled hammy TD celebration" though!!!
KLS needs to lose the "pulled hammy TD celebration" though!!!
New coach, new sharif in town. Everyone starting from scratch.
Correct - I'll add him in, he'll slide in probably as a depth option this year. We'll see how his development goes.
He's not here this spring, but where does Dante Cephas fit in?
Penn State Spring Position Preview: Wide Receiver
How does Penn State's wide receiver room look entering the spring? Nittany Nation takes a look.pennstate.rivals.com
Of the guys listed so far, who is good at "yards after catch" or have we been spoiled by Jahan Dotson and Parker Washington?
Cephas will fit in at the x-spot rather well and he'll be a great YAC guy. Of the guys they currently have, I think we could see big years in the YAC department out of McClain and Lambert-Smith , keep an eye on Omari Evans as well.
Thanks for the article.Penn State Spring Position Preview: Wide Receiver
How does Penn State's wide receiver room look entering the spring? Nittany Nation takes a look.
Read your response on Cephas at the X, but as I read the article it seems to be missing something. Yep, KLS in the slot, and the battle to start between McClain and Wallace at the Z. But shouldn't the article say who will likely start or who will be the main competitors (or battle) to start at X before talking about the likely rotational players?
Or will the loser between McClain and Wallace battle Cephas at X, or will he likely be the first WR in to relieve both the X and Z starters....
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Great question and sorry about any confusion - I'll make sure to do better next time.
Cephas I have locked in as the starter at the X.
McClain and Wallace will battle at the Z, with the "loser" being able to backup really either the X or the Z. Though they'll most likely backup mostly the Z position in my opinion. Sorry again.
Receiver is probably the weakest position group on the team.
But he wasn't a great receiver in the MAC, how do you expect him to be good in the Big Ten?
Cephas is a natural Z in this offense, same as Lambert-Smith. If there is a true X, it is McClain who so far hasn't done much.
I don't get the lack of love for Harrison Wallace. For a freshman, I was really impressed as year went on. I think he had some drops early but became a reliable weapon after Parker's injury. He was versatile player and good route runner. Averaged over 14.4 ypc while being 5th option most of season. That number was better than Tinsley and Washington. He had some great long catches in the Rose. Underrated. He will fill Parker's role nicely.
I don't know that Wallace has Parker Washington kind of ability but he definitely showed he can contribute at this level. He can get open, he can make tough catches in traffic. Consistency is is problem but that is pretty normal for young players.
I would think all these guys would be working their butts off this off-season with the transfers and walk-ons coming in. This was the weakest unit on the offense last season and hopefully it will change.
Yep, with Cephus catching balls for over 1900 yards the last two seasons, KLS taking a big step forward at the end of last season, and McClain's film and testing at PSU projecting him as a likely big contributor, I believe the young holdover PSU WR's will have to step up significantly to find a spot in the top 3 WR's.
Wallace made progress and did some nice things in 2022, but it was his 2nd year at PSU and he'll be in a dog fight with the other young WR's such as Saunders who is a year younger for playing time. Not that Wallace couldn't win a starting spot but with the competition that the WR transfers will provide he'll have to continue to step up to earn it.
PSU had very little dependable WR depth in 2022 beyond Washington and Tinsley, but with the development of the young WR's in the 2021 and and 2022 classes the WR unit will likely look much different this upcoming season and should have more competition for playing time with a greater number of WR's making contributions on the field.
Wallace made progress and did some nice things in 2022, but it was his 2nd year at PSU and he'll be in a dog fight with the other young WR's such as Saunders who is a year younger for playing time. Not that Wallace couldn't win a starting spot but with the competition that the WR transfers will provide he'll have to continue to step up to earn it.
PSU had very little dependable WR depth in 2022 beyond Washington and Tinsley, but with the development of the young WR's in the 2021 and and 2022 classes the WR unit will likely look much different this upcoming season and should have more competition for playing time with a greater number of WR's making contributions on the field.
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