As Penn State gears up for the start of preseason practice this week, the names that will be responsible for delivering the program’s success are sharpening. The Nittany Lions have assembled a combination of experienced, reliable starters and a host of young, enticing talent.
But, how do they look when broken down into individual rankings?
To be clear, the criteria here isn’t an exact science. However, based on prior performances and buzz around the program this offseason, there is more than enough data and anecdotal evidence to make some determinations.
Here, a first look at a series ranking Penn State’s top players heading into the 2024 season:
25. Beau Pribula
There are a few tricky decisions to make on this list – as you’ll see in the coming days – but this one might be the trickiest. Make no mistake, Drew Allar is the returning starting quarterback with a decided advantage going into the preseason. He will be Penn State’s starter again this season.
But, Beau Pribula has demonstrated that he can provide value to the Nittany Lions’ offense. And, given Andy Kotelnicki’s predilection for running the quarterback position, Pribula would appear to be in line to participate in those plans this season.
Will it mean more for Pribula than his 142 snaps over 11 games last season? Considering the decreased likelihood of blowout opportunities on Penn State’s schedule this year, it might not. But, his 5.9 yards per carry with six rushing touchdowns serves as a demonstration that Pribula has and will continue to be an asset the Nittany Lions seek to maximize.
24. Zakee Wheatley
Moving to the defensive side of the ball, any list detailing Penn State’s top overall players now has to include Zakee Wheatley. That’s with an implicit acknowledgment that his potential in past seasons hasn’t been realized to the extent the program at times believed possible.
For a Nittany Lion defense that will seek to create turnovers by any means possible this season, though, Wheatley’s offseason emergence is a storyline of significant consequence. It blosters what Penn State is going to do with Jaylen Reed and KJ Winston, and shows that Wheatley’s upside is worth the necessary personnel adjustments to ensure that he’s on the field more this year.
Marrying his knack for the ball with a work ethic and approach to the game this offseason that can create dividends, Wheatley’s spot at No. 24 on this list is more likely to finish higher on the postseason ranking than it is to drop off.
23. Hakeem Beamon
Penn State loved Hakeem Beamon’s grasp of the stakes, and his potential impact, ahead of the 2023 season. This offseason is no different, he just has a year of true contributions under his belt to build on. And, the reality for the sixth-year senior is that he’ll have every opportunity to sieze the resulting opportunity in front of him.
He started six games and played in all 13 last season. The formula isn’t likely to change as Dvon J-Thomas, Coziah Izzard, and Zane Durant are all back this offseason. The vibe is good for the totality of the defensive tackles as preseason approaches, but Beamon’s embrace of changing his body – now listed at 285 pounds – and becoming the player Penn State has needed over the player he’s at times envisioned himself to be, is significant.
22. Nolan Rucci
There is a chance that Rucci might not even need until the end of the 2024 campaign to hold a ranking higher than his designation here. Poised to battle Anthony Donkoh in preseason camp, the Wisconsin transfer is going to play this year, with or without a winning outcome. He’s not currently the favorite to emerge on top, but as preseason competitions go, right tackle is among the highest deserved interest this preseason.
Already making significant strides in the weight room and nutritionally since arriving at Penn State, Rucci coming on would provide a major boost to the program’s outlook on the offensive line. Whether that’s as a reliable depth piece or as a starter overcoming a piece with as much potential as Donkoh has generated remains to be seen.
21. Dvon J-Thomas
Speaking of defensive tackles, the Penn State representative at Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis last week is an equally big part of that equation. He’s already demonstrated himself to be a reliable presence in the heart of the Nittany Lions’ defensive line and will continue to be counted upon in that capacity.
Like Beamon, J-Thomas is looking at his sixth season in the program. At a position where grown men have an opportunity to inflict an advantage on opponents, this is an area where Penn State has a sneaky edge defensively going into the 2024 season.
Talk about it with our premium members in the Lions Den, here!
The post Ranking Penn State football’s best players in 2024: Nos. 25-21 appeared first on On3 .
Most Popular
Comments / 0