Why Olu Fashanu will be an ALL AMERICAN next year | Which Penn State safety breaks out?
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It’s that time again, though. I’m here to remind you to click the like button and subscribe to Blue White Illustrated on YouTube, so you don’t miss anything from Penn State spring football.
The Penn State offensive line went from a huge problem to a quality unit last season. This year they have the chance to be a legitimate strength of the offense for the first time since 2019. There’s still a long way to go before that happens, though, and we’ll outline some of the challenges they face this spring.
Tengwall and Nourzad fought through injuries last season that hampered their playing time and ability to produce when they were out on the field. Nourzad is the team’s next starting center and missed a stretch of the 2022 season after an injury during the Ohio game in Week 2. Still, he returned and filled in for Tengwall, who he ultimately replaced when Tengwall went down with an injury before the Michigan Game.
But that’s where the team has hope. Unlike years past, the group behind those two is deep and talented. . JB Nelson played well in his redshirt season last year, giving up two pressures, according to PFF, when facing game action.
Redshirt freshman Vega Ioane had a similar season last year, though his work mainly came in mop-up duty at the end of games. He recorded zero pressures on 16 pass-blocking snaps in 2022. It’s not enough to make definitive conclusions, but he didn’t play poorly, which is always the first step.
At tackle, things are more optimistic than they’ve been in quite some time. Olu Fashanu put together an excellent season before suffering a season-ending injury in the final minutes of the loss to Ohio State. PFF tracked his 299 pass-blocking attempts last season and found that he gave up only one quarterback hit.
But potentially, the reason for as much optimism as having Fashanu is the right tackle position. Just like on the interior, Penn State has legitimate competition for the second tackle spot on the roster. Veteran Caedan Wallace also missed a large stretch of the season last year and is back for one final chance to show he’s got what it takes to make the NFL. Wallace struggled with specific blocks and body types during his starting time, but he brings Big Ten talent and polish to the right tackle position.
Behind him is last year’s co-starter at left tackle Drew Shelton. The freshman filled in for Fashanu last season and kept his head above water despite being thrown into the fire way too early. He even began to flash some impressive run-blocking chops by bowl season.
Now we come to our final roster spot, the Safeties. While this group isn’t as talented at the top end just yet, it might be the deepest room outside of the defensive end on the roster. Veteran Keaton Ellis leads the room, with junior Jaylen Reed as the spring top-line starter. With Reed operating the boundary safety job, Ellis will likely remain at his field position.
One player who, at least on the surface, has the skills for that job description is Zakee Wheatley. The redshirt sophomore safety flashed during spring camp last year, causing a buzz about his potential to play in the fall. He continued his apt ability to find the ball during camp and the early part of the season. This year he’ll again be a major factor in the field but could push Ellis for playing time. At 6-2 194 pounds, he’s got the frame and game to be a superstar in the secondary.
The same is true for KJ Winston, a 6-2, 204-pound boundary safety entering his redshirt freshman season. Winston is this year’s hot name to make a big step toward playing time behind Reed. With good speed and a frame to wreck ball carriers, Winston could be an all-around nightmare in the secondary.
A wildcard for the group is former Lackawanna safety Tyrece Mills. He transitioned to linebacker last season before an injury forced him to miss the year. He’ll likely be a boundary player, but where he lands in the pecking order or what jobs he can take on third down will be interesting to follow this year.
Why Olu Fashanu will be an ALL AMERICAN next year | Which Penn State safety breaks out?
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