Penn State will begin spring practice next week, strapping on the pads and returning to the field after a breakthrough season that ended in the College Football Playoff semifinals. With a handful of impact players back for another year, the Nittany Lions will carry national title aspirations into their next campaign, which will start against Nevada on Aug. 30.
With returning starters such as Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen and Dani Dennis-Sutton, James Franklin likely possesses one of the most talented rosters of his Penn State tenure. But questions surrounding his depth chart still remain. The next month will be crucial for players in positional competitions and those looking to take a step forward.
Who are Penn State’s 10 most important players with something to prove as spring ball nears?
QB Drew Allar
Drew Allar’s season couldn’t have concluded in a more devastating fashion. With a national championship appearance on the line, Allar threw a costly interception that all but put Notre Dame in position to kick a game-winning field goal. There is no Nittany Lion with more riding on his shoulders than Allar ahead of his final season of eligibility.
Allar has flashed, at times, over his first two seasons as Penn State’s starting quarterback. But there is noticeably still room for improvement in his ability to command the offense in big games. The major question, though, entering the spring, is whether Allar has put his Orange Bowl interception behind him and if he’s mentally prepared to lead the Nittany Lions to a title.
WR Devonte Ross
The viability of Penn State’s wide receivers are now almost synonymous with that of the program’s overall success. Want Allar to reach his full potential? He can’t do it alone. Allar failed to complete a pass to a wide receiver in the Orange Bowl, a game that preceded the departures of starters Harrison Wallace III and Omari Evans.
Enter Devonte Ross, fresh off a 1,000-yard season at Troy. Ross added 16 pounds this winter and now looks the part of a Big Ten receiver. But it remains unclear how he’ll perform in practices against one of the nation’s top defenses.
WR Kyron Hudson
It’s much of the same story for former USC wide receiver Kyron Hudson as it is for Ross. Andy Kotelnicki, in his second year as the Nittany Lions’ offensive coordinator, desperately needs a wide receiver corps capable of making Allar’s job easier and possessing the ability to beat Big Ten defenses. The competition for Penn State’s WR1 is on.
TE Luke Reynolds
Tyler Warren is off to the NFL, leaving some big shoes for Luke Reynolds to fill in just his second season. He’ll have Khalil Dinkins and others for support, but Reynolds should become a prominent figure in Kotelnicki’s playbook this fall. Reynolds has already shown signs of future greatness, and this spring should serve as a stepping stone to becoming the next great Nittany Lion tight end.
CB Elliot Washington II
The recipient of five consecutive “Competitor of the Day” honors from cornerbacks coach Terry Smith, Elliot Washington II enters spring practice as the likely favorite to earn starting duties beside A.J. Harris next fall. Washington led the team with seven pass deflections despite missing two games with an injury, and projects as an early breakout candidate in 2025.
DE Zuriah Fisher
After missing last season’s entirety with an injury, Zuriah Fisher has returned to the weight room ahead of his final season of eligibility. He should be heavily in the mix to replace Abdul Carter as a starting defensive end beside Dennis-Sutton. Fisher was a regular contributor in 2023, and this spring will be all about getting him back up to speed for his return to the gridiron.
Fisher’s development this offseason is even more important when recognizing the departures of Amin Vanover and Smith Vilbert. What began as a deep defensive end room, despite Carter’s exit, is now a short-handed group after Vanover lost his waiver for an extra season of eligibility and Vilbert entered the transfer portal.
LB Tony Rojas
It’s unclear how much Tony Rojas will be able to participate this spring while recovering from a lingering injury that was corrected this offseason. But with Kobe King out of the picture, Rojas will be tasked with blossoming into the quarterback of Jim Knowles’ defense. His health and development will be crucial as the season nears.
DT Xavier Gilliam
There’s a vacancy at defensive tackle, and redshirt freshman Xavier Gilliam should be in the mix to earn a starting spot. Gilliam appeared in just five games last season and will be asked to make a major leap forward, especially if Alonzo Ford Jr. isn’t fully healthy to start the season. A starting job could be on the line beside Zane Durant.
LB Keon Wylie
Keon Wylie has returned to full strength and will now compete for the team’s vacant starting middle linebacker role after missing last season’s entirety with an injury. Regardless of whether the job is won, Wylie is poised to play a role this season, and how he performs this spring could dictate exactly how much playing time he receives in his return from injury.
S King Mack
King Mack returned to Penn State in January after transferring to Alabama last offseason. With Kevin Winston Jr. and Jaylen Reed off to the NFL, the Nittany Lions are in need of help at safety, and Mack could provide a boost. He’ll have competition with sophomore Dejuan Lane, but Mack is likely the early favorite to start beside returning starter Zakee Wheatley.
