Penn State Football Countdown to Kickoff: No. 16 TE Kahlil Dinkins

Moving into today's spot on the countdown is Penn State redshirt junior tight end Kahlil Dinkins. A former in-state recruit looking to make a bigger impact in Penn State's offense this season.

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The recruitment

The son of former NFL tight end Darnell Dinkins, Kahlil committed to Penn State in October 2020. Dinkins chose the Nittany Lions over offers from Boston College, Georiga Tech, Michigan, Michigan State, Pitt, Syracuse, and Virginia Tech, among others.

At times in his recruitment, it was unclear what positon Dinkins may play. Many people thought his best positon at the collegiate level would be at linebacker. However, Dinkins wanted to be a tight end and that is the position he wound up at in college.

How we got here and looking ahead

Dinkins became a regular in the Penn State offense last season. appearing in 12 of the team's 13 games, he finished the season with 57 receiving yards and a pair of scores. This came after he had 53 receiving yards and a touchdown as a redshirt freshman in 2022.

Dinkins should cement himself this fall as Penn State's no. 2 tight end behind Tyler Warren. This should include a larger role for Dinkins in Andy Kotelnicki's offense, and it would not be a surprise to see Dinkins emerge as a red zone weapon for Penn State.