Penn State Football Review and Preview: Wide Receiver Edition
Over the past two seasons, you could argue that the Penn State wide receiver room has been one of the few positional groups that has actually overachieved past initial expectations.
After losing star receiver KJ Hamler to the NFL Draft in 2020 following a successful run as being the Nittany Lions’ top target, an unproven Jahan Dotson was tasked to take his spot in terms of both production and leadership.
We learned pretty quickly that Dotson would take that role and run with it as he finished his career with the second most catches and fourth most receiving yards in Penn State history while becoming a critical leader on the offense as well.
But as the program sees another one of its stars leave for the NFL Draft, it will be intriguing to see how he is replaced with the personnel that will be in Happy Valley in 2022.
2021 REVIEW.....
While the 2020 season was Jahan Dotson’s breakout campaign, he still managed to improve on his performance in 2021.
At times it felt as if he carried Penn State’s offense, which struggled to run the football, finishing the season with 1,182 yards and 12 touchdowns while nearly hauling in a school record for receptions.
He finished just six behind Allen Robinson’s 97.
But Dotson did not do it alone last year as slot weapon Parker Washington also managed to continue his steady progression in year two in Happy Valley.
Washington, who returns for his junior season, has proved to be a force in the middle of the field, specifically on third down where his route running and field awareness come into play.
He has had the chance to learn from Dotson and see significant snaps in his first two seasons and should continue to see reps at each of the three receiver spots as he becomes the team’s No. 1.
The third wideout that completed the group last season was KeAndre Lambert-Smith.
Lambert-Smith showed at times that he is a very capable Big Ten receiver.
He has the traits to be able to run with any team as his 14.4 yards per catch was good for eighth in the conference.
His speed is never in question but drops certainly became an issue for the Norfolk, Virginia native.
Among those who competed and saw snaps as depth pieces were Malick Meiga, Marquis Wilson, Cam Sullivan-Brown, and Winston Eubanks.
Meiga is the one to watch of this group as he had a big 67-yard touchdown in Penn State’s win over Rutgers and is expected to continue his progression as a college wideout next season.
2022 PREVIEW.....
For Penn State, the loss of Jahan Dotson means that the team is not only left without its offensive star but also another physical wide receiver threat in general.
That is why it made so much sense that James Franklin, Mike Yurcich and the rest of the Nittany Lion staff went out and got a proven X-receiver in Mitchell Tinsley, a transfer who played at Western Kentucky last season.
Tinsley put up 1,402 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2021 and played in an offense that liked to throw the ball with NFL prospect Bailey Zappe under center.
Now, Tinsley can become an ideal complementary receiver to Parker Washington who is most effective when lined up in the slot.
Also with the addition of the 6-foot-1 receiver, KeAndre Lambert-Smith won’t be thrusted into a role he may not be ready for which helps the depth of the room at the same time.
In addition to Washington, Tinsley and Lambert-Smith, there are some former redshirts and even a true freshman that could possibly contribute this season for the offense.
The coaching staff, including wide receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield, threw a lot of praise at the progression of Liam Clifford last season and seem very pleased with his development so far.
The same could be said for Jaden Dottin who has some impressive measurables at 6-foot-2, 186 pounds, though we’ve seen quite little of him.
But what could be perhaps the most intriguing storyline out of the receiver room next year is true freshman Kaden Saunders.
Saunders, a four-star prospect, can sometimes get lost in the shuffle of Penn State’s talented 2022 recruiting class.
But the fact of the matter is that he is a really talented player who has the potential to learn from a guy like Washington in his first taste of college football.
They have very similar physical traits and both are incredibly talented route runners who don’t let their height affect how they play the position.So featuring this combination of youth and experience, Penn State is going to need its receivers to be as dynamic as last season if the program wants to get back to double-digit wins and become College Football Playoff contenders once again.
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