Seeing red: Which Penn State freshmen could see the field this season?

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. – James Franklin and the Penn State staff break their freshmen down into three categories—red, yellow and green-- when determining redshirt priorities.

All it takes is one injury to a player in front of them for a red to go to yellow or yellow to green and thus burning the redshirt possibility. Last season it happened with safety Troy Apke who was needed to step in on special teams after an injury to Ryan Keiser forced Marcus Allen into Keiser’s starting role, creating a void on special teams that Apke stepped in to help fill.

Penn State used eight true freshman scholarship players last season. Franklin told the Big Ten Network Friday during their stop in Happy Valley that he plans to have these redshirt conversations with the scholarship freshmen soon.

While depth issues can pop up at any point in the season for a variety of reasons, here’s my look at this freshman class and who I think could step in right away, as well as where the others stack up.

Green (likely to see the field this season)

CB John Reid

The St. Joe’s Prep standout is making a smooth transition to college ball where defensive coordinator Bob Shoop said Friday on the Big Ten Network that Reid is in competition for that third or fourth corner spot. Penn State plays a lot of DBs and last year we saw two true freshmen corners in Grant Haley and Christian Campbell step in and grow more comfortable as the season progressed. Reid’s maturity and focus were praised by teammates and coaches as soon as he arrived and it looks like No. 29 will see the field sooner rather than later.

RB Saquon Barkley

Running backs Saquon Barkley, Mark Allen and Andre Robinson pose during their position photo in Beaver Stadium. (Audrey Snyder/Post-Gazette)

The 5-11, 215-pound Whitehall product ran with the second and third-team offense during camp and opened plenty of eyes while doing so. I remember a little more than a year ago when I watched Barkley play out in Beaverton, Ore. at The Opening where on a field with some of the best players in the country it didn’t take long for him to stand out. His thick legs will help him churn for extra yards and while pass protection is always problematic for any young back, we’ll see how Barkley works his way into the mix, possibly as the third or maybe even the second back who has plenty of upside for the coming years.

Yellow (maybe see the field this year)

WRs Juwan Johnson & Irvin Charles

A big body in the passing game is a welcome sight for Penn State where both Johnson and Charles, listed at 6-4, 213 lbs., have earned the nickname “twin towers” from teammates.

Penn State needed to and used two true freshmen receivers last year in Saeed Blacknall and Chris Godwin. This receiving corps is still young, but has no shortage of talent. Johnson and Charles add a different dimension to the passing game and create mismatches for opposing DBs. How good are their routes and how quickly they pick up the offense will be key. Maybe Penn State uses one of them? We’ll see.

WR Brandon Polk

Freshman wide receiver Brandon Polk waits for the team photo inside Beaver Stadium. (Audrey Snyder/Post-Gazette)

When WR DeAndre Thompkins arrived last year he said he was around 160 pounds and needed the reshirt year to grow into his role. Polk is listed at 5-9, 163 lbs. which has me leaning toward him taking a redshirt this season, but he could be able to find a small role within this offense or more likely help out on special teams. We saw him run an end around at practice this summer and Franklin said it was clear that Polk has speed. He tracked down linebacker Jason Cabinda and tackled him during the team’s first scrimmage, a detail that the 245-pound linebacker could only laugh at.

Saf. Ayron Monroe

True freshman Marcus Allen is a lock as the starter and fellow sophomore Troy Apke, who was limited earlier this summer where he appeared with his wrist in a cast but has practiced, could be in line as his backup. Monroe could be third in the pecking order or maybe challenge for the backup spot, giving Penn State a lot of young depth at free safety.

Red (not likely to burn their redshirt this season)

DE Ryan Buchholz

If all goes well in front of him Penn State should have no reason to use the former Great Valley standout this year. Buchholz likely has Garrett Sickels and Evan Schwan in front of him, while Carl Nassib, Curtis Cothran and Torrence Brown are on the other side. It’s the first year as penciled in full-time starters for Sickels and Nassib, who missed part of camp with what was reported as an undisclosed injury. For what it’s worth I did see Nassib, No. 95, running around in the background of drills during the Big Ten Network’s footage during practice at the end of last week, so that should be a positive sign for Penn State.

C Ryan Bates

Giving the offensive linemen a year to grow into their roles is a positive when there are enough people in front of them to do so. That should be the case for Bates who likely will have a job at center to work for in the coming years. He stayed after practice last week to work with third-strong QB Tommy Stevens, also a freshman.

CB Garrett Taylor

With all the praise about John Reid let’s not forget that Taylor is also a 4-star cornerback. With a plethora of young options backing up Grant Haley – including redshirt freshmen Daquan Worley and Amani Oruwariye—saving Taylor for down the road seems likely.

OT Sterling Jenkins

Penn State offensive linemen Chasz Wright, Paris Palmer and Sterling Jenkins wait for the offensive line's group photo in Beaver Stadium. (Audrey Snyder/Post-Gazette)

Jenkins arrived in January and while his 6-foot-8, 329-pound build make him hard to miss on the practice field, Penn State’s depth at left tackle will be tested this season. Jenkins repped at left tackle with the third team at one point during camp and if Palmer holds on to the starting job at left tackle, his top backup should injury arise would likely be right tackle Andrew Nelson who can also play left. Nelson did so last season when then left tackle Donovan Smith was injured. There’s redshirt freshman Chance Sorrell who adds depth at left tackle too, helping give Jenkins plenty of time to learn this season.

DT Kamonte Carter

At 6-4, 271 Carter is the lightest scholarship tackle. Give him a year with strength and conditioning coach Dwight Galt, watch from the talent in front of him—which includes standout senior Anthony Zettel – and Carter can be a contributor in years to come.

RB Andre Robinson

Behind running back Akeel Lynch Penn State doesn’t have a back that’s taken a carry in a college game. Redshirt freshmen Mark Allen, Nick Scott and Johnathan Thomas are in the mix along with freshman Saquon Barkley, likely giving Robinson a chance to be part of a deep running backs corps in the coming years.

LB Manny Bowen

Bowen is in line at the SAM linebacker spot where he has starter Brandon Bell and then likely reserves Von Walker and Koa Farmer ahead of him. Depth at middle linebacker is an area Penn State has to get sorted out, but at the SAM they should be okay. Unless Bowen would have an impact on special teams or there would be a few injuries, he’d give Penn State more depth in the future.

G Steven Gonzalez

Like all offensive linemen it takes time for them to develop and Penn State has other, older options it can turn to at guard. Plus, Penn State likes to cross train their linemen to play numerous spots so using the year to work on that, while adjusting to college football, will give Gonzalez a full plate.

LB Jake Cooper

Whoever backs up starting middle linebacker Nyeem Wartman-White is anyone’s guess. Gary Wooten and Ben Kline are both options, which would likely keep Cooper down on the depth chart this year. But, should injury concerns with Kline and Wartman-White impact this position at some point this season, Jason Cabinda could possibly slide inside and call the defense and if that would happen and then PSU could fill his spot at the WILL with someone like redshirt freshman Troy Reeder. There are a lot of moving parts at linebacker, but staying healthy could be a challenge for this group. 

DE Shareef Miller

When Carl Nassib was limited in camp Curtis Cothran stepped in as his backup. Redshirt freshman Torrence Brown would then likely be next in line with Miller then in the mix after that. That’s a pretty deep rotation to crack.

TEs Jonathan Holland & TE Nick Bowers

Freshman cornerback Garrett Taylor and freshman tight end Jonathan Holland wait for the team photo inside Beaver Stadium. (Audrey Snyder/Post-Gazette)

Holland, at 6-4, 240 lbs. is a big target who also played defensive end in high school. Bowers, listed at 6-4, 255 lbs, is the other freshman tight end. Penn State has scholarship players Mike Gesicki, Kyle Carter, Adam Breneman and Brent Wilkerson to use, making for a deep group that has a good mix of youth with Breneman, a redshirt sophomore, and Gesicki a sophomore. Unless there’s special teams value for either Holland or Bowers, they wouldn’t seem likely to have an impact on the offense this season.

QB Tommy Stevens

Like Trace McSorley did last season and all QBs who have the luxury of doing so, there’s no need to burn Stevens’ redshirt this season. Give him time to learn from Christian Hackenberg and to Stevens’ benefit he enrolled in January and already has one spring and now this camp also under his belt.

DE Kevin Givens

Just like freshman Ryan Buchholz, with Garrett Sickels and Evan Schwan ahead of them it’s no easy task to see the field this year. Buchholz has better size (6-6, 254), while Givens is listed at 6-1, 238 lbs. He’ll need time to grow into the position, making this year the right time to start that transition.

Saf. John Petrishen

With Marcus Allen at the top of the pecking order at free safety and with Troy Apke and Ayron Monroe likely behind him, Petrishen would seem in line to take a redshirt.

Saf. Jarvis Miller

Penn State moved Jordan Lucas to strong safety this offseason and while Lucas should be able to move around to help create different looks, redshirt junior Malik Golden appeared as next in line to see the field after Lucas. Miller would likely be at the bottom of the depth chart there this season. Golden was injured and unable to play in the final five games last season though, which is worth keeping in mind as the Lions round out the depth chart.

DT Robert Windsor

Franklin highlighted Windsor’s efforts during camp and while Penn State has depth at both tackle spots, at 6-4, 289 Windsor isn’t undersized. Penn State likes to keep their linemen fresh with lots of rotations, but with Austin Johnson and Parker Cothren ahead of him Windsor could be saved until next year.

Audrey Snyder: asnyder@post-gazette.com and Twitter: @audsnyder4