Happy Valley Insider continues its series of Penn State spring position outlooks by shifting focus to one of the Nittany Lions' deepest and most talented position groups, the tight ends.

Last season, the room was headlined by Heisman contender and future NFL first-round pick Tyler Warren, who put together one of the most dominant seasons from a tight end you’ll ever see.

The Virginia native recorded 104 receptions for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns while also adding 26 rushing attempts for 218 yards and four scores. That being said, Warren is off to the NFL. While the Nittany Lions likely won’t replicate that level of production from their top tight end in 2025, there are still plenty of reasons to be optimistic about Ty Howle’s group of Aces.

The senior tight end is in the midst of a crucial spring. While he has been a reliable target for the Nittany Lions over the past few seasons, recording 23 receptions for 232 yards and five touchdowns, he will need a strong spring to fend off Penn State's rising talent at the position.

Dinkins is a quality blocker, which helps keep him on the field, but he has yet to produce at a high level as a receiving tight end. Can the Nittany Lions trust him to take on that role in 2025? That remains to be seen. One thing is certain: Dinkins will have a role. The only question is how big it will be.

Not too long ago, Rappleyea was considered a potential future star at tight end for Penn State, and that potential remains. However, a serious knee injury last season derailed what could have been a breakout campaign for the former four-star recruit. Now, Rappleyea will look to get back to 100 percent and pick up where he left off last spring and fall camp, hoping to emerge as a top threat in the Nittany Lions' offense.

At Penn State's Pro Day on Friday, Tyler Warren called Reynolds the best freshman tight end he has ever been around, and it is not hard to see why. The former Rivals250 prospect flashed when on the field for the Nittany Lions in 2024, recording nine receptions for 111 yards and one touchdown. He also had a key rushing attempt late in the season, serving as the ball carrier on a fake punt that went 32 yards and sealed Penn State's win over Minnesota. That play demonstrated just how much Penn State's coaching staff trusts the young tight end.

A tremendous athlete, Reynolds possesses all the traits that past great Penn State tight ends have shown, especially in the James Franklin era. Expect the Reynolds hype train to continue gaining momentum in the coming months as the season approaches. He will be a popular pick to emerge as a breakout star for the Nittany Lions this upcoming season.

Schlaffer has become somewhat of a forgotten name in Penn State's tight end room, and the Reading, Pennsylvania native finds himself in a tough spot. Dinkins, Reynolds, and Rappleyea are all comfortably ahead of him on the depth chart, while the Nittany Lions also have a talented trio of true freshmen tight ends right behind him in Andrew Olesh, Brian Kortovich, and Matt Henderson, who will enroll this summer. This spring could very well be a make-or-break moment for Schlaffer.

The walk-on out of State College is in his third season with the program.

Olesh flipped from Michigan to Penn State during the early signing period in December and enrolled a few weeks later. A major recruiting win for the Nittany Lions, Olesh has the potential to be a tremendous piece of the Nittany Lions' offense in the future, however, he's still a year likely away from seeing the field as he'll need to gain another 20-30 pounds before seeing the field as he currently weighs in at just 220-pounds.

Kortovich may not have had the recruiting status of Olesh or Matt Henderson, but the Ohio native possesses quite a bit of upside in his own right. But like Olesh and Henderson, there is really no rush for Kortovich to see the field in 2025 and he's likely looking to at least 2027 until he may have a consistent role on the field.

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