https://247sports.com/college/penn-state/Article/James-Franklin-on-Lamont-Wade-KJ-Hamler-Jahan-Dotson-Judge-Culpepper-130597923/
Culpepper, Wade among Penn State's spring practice risers
ByTYLER DONOHUE 8 minutes ago
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State football coach
James Franklin, assessing his squad through two weeks of spring practices, spotlighted several players during a Wednesday evening media session.
His evaluation ranged from the development of veteran leadership to the evolution of younger talent. Collectively, Franklin feels as though things are progressing in a positive manner due in large part to the back-and-forth nature of practice action.
"The first thing that jumps out to me is it's been very competitive," he said. "There's been years in the past where the offense would dominate or the defense would dominate, and it really shouldn't be that way. In the competitive periods, it should come down to a point or two every single time. ... Overall, I've been very impressed with the competitiveness."
Following the departure of team captains
Trace McSorley and
Nick Scott, along with respected veterans such as
Shareef Miller and
Amani Oruwariye, Penn State entered this offseason reliant on the rise of new leadership.
Defensively, Franklin identified a pair of seniors who've stepped up.
"(Safety)
Garrett Taylor looks like a vet right now," he said. "We talk about Garrett Taylor and (linebacker)
Cam Brown — you see their maturity, you see them understanding how to practice with championship habits, which we talk about all the time."
Brown and Taylor each started 12 games last season, and both players were pointed to as worthy of captainship by former defensive teammates who participated at Penn State Pro Day.
A battle for the starting safety job alongside Taylor is among the most important positional storylines to sort out before September. Junior
Lamont Wade — the top-rated member of Penn State's 2017 recruiting class, per 247Sports composite rankings — has taken steps forwarding during a crucial offseason for his future with the team.
"Lamont Wade's had a really nice camp so far; he really has," Franklin said. "That's helped."
Wade spent time in the NCAA Transfer Portal this winter before opting to stay on campus. One of three Nittany Lions true freshmen who earned snaps in 2017, he transitioned from cornerback to safety as a sophomore, posting 18 tackles and one sack while largely working in a reserve role and special teams coverage.
Cornerback
John Reid, who has played in 38 Penn State games, pointed to Wade's enthusiasm as an apparent asset on the practice field this spring.
"I always told him, I can't wait until he steps in and we can be on the field together," Reid said. "We were always on the field together in certain packages, but just the type of energy he plays with, it kind of reminds me of (former Penn State safety) Marcus (Allen), and I used to play with Marcus a lot. So having him step in makes it super fun. We're kind of on the same page. We like to have fun, we joke around on the field, and I like that energy that he plays with."
Redshirt sophomore
Jonathan Sutherland is considered another primary contender for reps at safety, while
Jaquan Brisker — the position's top prospect in 247Sports junior college rankings — enrolls at the university this summer.
Lamont Wade is aiming for a starting job. (Photo: Grace Brennan-FOS/247)
As things get sorted out at safety, there is also attention on dynamics at defensive tackle. Penn State is searching for a new starter alongside senior
Robert Windsor after
Kevin Givens' early NFL draft entrance, and the group features a few promising yet unproven players.
Aside from Windsor, redshirt junior
Antonio Shelton carries the most collegiate experience. He appeared in 19 contests during the last two seasons and a productive campaign could lie ahead.
"Shelton has really grown," Franklin said. "You see him take a lot of the stuff that he's done in the weight room and really start to transfer it to the field."
Expect Penn State to implement plenty of its 13 redshirt freshmen more frequently across the field this fall, and defensive tackle
Judge Culpepper is a name to know.
"Culpepper is starting to show some flashes that look like he may be able to factor in," Franklin said. "That's obviously not mentioning Windsor and (sophomore)
PJ Mustipher and some other guys. That was a position that we had some questions about."
Culpepper, the son of former Florida Gators and NFL defensive lineman Brad Culpepper, spent last season on the scout team. He transitioned from defensive end to defensive tackle upon arrival, and has steadily added quality weight on his way to 6-foot-4, 286 pounds.
"It's always a process when you take a guy from being outside to move him inside," Penn State defensive line coach
Sean Spencersaid last season.
Another area of emphasis for Franklin entering spring practice was receiver. Scholarship numbers are low in that room right now following a pair of transfers — 2019 signees
John Dunmore and
TJ Jonesarrive this summer, and Florida State graduate transfer
George Campbell is also on his way — and redshirt sophomore
KJ Hamler has suddenly become the group's "old guy".
Hamler has traveled a short path from breakout star to veteran leader.
"He's got an outgoing personality and a fairly aggressive personality, so that's happening," Franklin said. "He's very confident, so that helps as well."
No other receiver on the spring roster has started more than four college games and only Hamler owns 300-plus career receiving yards.
"At receiver, we're young, we're talented, but we've still got a lot of development (ahead)," Franklin said.
Jahan Dotson, who started four games as a true freshman, joins Hamler as the team's second receiver with a double-digit career catch total (13 receptions).
"Jahan Dotson has played a lot of football and a lot of confidence has come from that, but we need him to take another step," Franklin said.
That's precisely what Dotson is doing this spring, according to a teammate who deals with him downfield.
"Jahan looks really good," Reid said. "He's really smooth. I pretty much go against him every day in one-on-ones."
So what stands out from those battles?
"The smoothness in his routes, the patience that he runs with, the way he's able to sell the post to a curl," Reid said. "... The way he's able to sell that post and snap it down, you don't really see that much. I haven't gone against many receivers who can actually do that that well, and he's kind of doing that with the whole route tree."
Beyond Dotson and Shoter, redshirt freshmen
Daniel George and
Justin Shorter encounter elevated expectations. Either could crack the starting lineup when Penn State open its 2019 season.
"They got to play a little bit last year but not enough," Franklin said. "So it's really their maturity from now until (August) camp that is going to be really important— with quarterbacks, with film, with one-on-ones, with footwork, with strength, with all of it."
Hamler, again alluding to his role as peer leader, is optimistic that Shorter — who led all receiver recruits in 247Sports 2018 composite rankings — can put the pieces together as a second-year contributor.
"He's been battling through some little injuries but he ain't complaining a bit. He's still working his butt off," Hamler said. " ... He's got to work on a few things. I'm trying to teach him just to get his hips open, just being loose coming out of his breaks. Once we get that down, he'll be fine."
From former five-star to a walk-on with a widespread Penn State athletic career, there is some buzz surrounding senior receiver
Dan Chisena, who previously competed with Pthe Nittany Lions track and field program.
"A guy that's really had a nice spring so far is Chisena," Franklin said. "Chisena can really run — won the 100-meter (dash) in the state of Pennsylvania, the track team ended up recruiting him away from us. We lost him for a year or two, and then we were able to get him back. ... He's big, he's strong, he's fast, and we're gonna need that."
When it comes to the collection of early enrollees who landed on campus in January, this stretch of spring camp presents a pivotal early test.
"The young guys have adjusted pretty well for the most part but it's starting to pile up on them right now a little bit," Franklin said.
Freshman cornerbacks
Keaton Ellis and
Marquis Wilson have earned recognition for their efforts through three months in town, and the latest evidence was served up Wednesday by one of their first collegiate opponents (on the practice field, at least).
"They are way better than I expected," Hamler said. " 'Quis just has that dog mentality and Keaton is a smart player; his speed can make up for mistakes. They're coming along really well. They're catching picks, breaking up passes. So they're doing pretty well — not on me, but..."
