Tag: JB Nelson

13 Penn State players appear on Senior Bowl watch list for 2024

A large number of Penn State players are on this year’s Senior Bowl watch list.

Penn State has historically been productive when it comes to manufacturing talent for the next level in the NFL, and this year’s roster is not short on potential NFL talent. One of the highlights of the draft cycle is the Reese’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, which invites the nation’s top seniors to participate in one of the premier scouting events outside of the annual NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis. An invite to the Senior Bowl is cherished and must be earned, and is a sign of the respect the NFL draft and scouting community holds for a player. It is a great tryout in front of the NFL world and can dramatically impact a player’s draft stock.

The Senior Bowl released its watch list of players for the upcoming season, and Penn State was well represented with players that could eventually be invited to participate in the top senior all-star game leading up to the NFL draft.

The full list of Penn State players appearing on the watch list includes:

  • [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag], QB
  • [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag], RB
  • [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag], DL
  • [autotag]Dani Dennis-Sutton[/autotag], DL
  • [autotag]Julian Fleming[/autotag], WR
  • [autotag]Kobe King[/autotag], LB
  • [autotag]JB Nelson[/autotag], OL
  • [autotag]Jaylen Reed[/autotag], DB
  • [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag], RB
  • [autotag]Tyler Warren[/autotag], TE
  • [autotag]Kevin Winston Jr.[/autotag], DB
  • [autotag]Sal Wormley[/autotag], OL
  • [autotag]Nolan Rucci[/autotag], OL

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Olu Fashanu named Big Ten offensive lineman of the year

The return of Olu Fashanu paid off for Penn State in 2023. Now he’s adding some hardware to his collection.

When offensive lineman [autotag]Olu Fashanu[/autotag] announced he would be returning for another year at Penn State, it was a bit of a shock. Expected to be a potential first-round draft pick had he declared for the 2023 NFL draft, Fashanu gambled on a return for one more season of college football before turning pro. It seems that gamble has been paying off quite nicely.

On Wednesday, the Big Ten announced Fashanu had been named the Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year. He was also a consensus first-team All-Big Ten player according to Big Ten coaches and media.

Fashanu is the second Penn State player to win the Big Ten’s top offensive lineman award. [autotag]A.Q. Shipley[/autotag] received the award in 2008. Fashanu remains a clear first-round draft pick prospect, and he could be one of the earlier picks in the draft after his performance this season.

Here is a look at how the Big Ten coaches voted for the conference’s top players on the football field in 2023. Penn State was well-represented across the board this year.

All-Big Ten selections by Big Ten coaches

  • OT Olu Fashanu (first-team)
  • DE [autotag]Chop Robinson[/autotag] (first team)
  • LB [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag] (first team)
  • DE [autotag]Adisa Isaac[/autotag] (second team)
  • RB [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] (second team offense, honorable mention special teams)
  • DB [autotag]Kalen King[/autotag] (second team)
  • C [autotag]Hunter Nourzad[/autotag] (second team)
  • DL [autotag]Dani Dennis-Sutton[/autotag] (third team)
  • DB [autotag]Johnny Dixon[/autotag] (third team)
  • DB [autotag]Daequan Hardy[/autotag] (third team defense; second team special teams)
  • RB [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] (third team)
  • TE [autotag]Tyler Warren[/autotag] (third team)
  • K [autotag]Alex Felkins[/autotag] (third team)
  • OL [autotag]Caedan Wallace[/autotag] (honorable mention)
  • OL [autotag]JB Nelson[/autotag] (honorable mention)
  • OL [autotag]Sal Wormley[/autotag] (honorable mention)
  • TE [autotag]Theo Johnson[/autotag] (honorable mention)
  • WR [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] (honorable mention)
  • QB [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] (honorable mention)
  • P [autotag]Riley Thompson[/autotag] (honorable mention)

 

Status of Chop Robinson still unknown for Indiana game

After a blow to the head last week, it remains uncertain if Penn State will have this top defensive player this weekend.

Penn State defensive end [autotag]Chop Robinson[/autotag] has been regarded as one of the best defensive linemen in the nation this season. This is why his departure from last week’s game at Ohio State after taking a blow to the head was especially noteworthy. After leaving and not returning last week in Columbus, head coach [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] remains uncertain what the status of Robinson may be this weekend against Indiana.

Franklin said this week he hopes to see Robinson return sooner rather than later, but there has been no public comment on whether sooner could be as soon as this weekend in Beaver Stadium.

Obviously, when it comes to head trauma, there is more caution than ever before in the history of the sport of football. And while cameras caught some potentially disturbing results following his collision last weekend, it is always better to play things as safely as possible before rushing any player back on the field. The Big Ten also has pretty strong concussion procedures to help ensure no player is back on the field when they probably should not be.

Franklin did note he does not believe Robinson’s medical concern will be of the season-ending variety. That is always positive news.

If Robinson is not available, as most seem to believe will ultimately be the case, expect Penn State to bump [autotag]Dani Dennis-Sutton[/autotag] into the starting role for the week. But also expect some opportunities for freshman [autotag]Jamieal Lyons[/autotag] to get involved. This weekend would be his fourth appearance, the last before exhausting a redshirt season of eligibility for this season.

It also helps that Penn State should be able to get by this week without one of their top defensive players. Penn State hosts Indiana this weekend. Both teams are coming off a loss, and Penn State should be able to use the home cooking to get back on track against a Hoosiers program that is 0-4 in Big Ten play this season and just 2-5 overall. Indiana’s only two wins this season have come against Indiana State, an FCS school, and Akron, by two points in overtime.

Indiana has been outscored 44-17 at Maryland, 52-7 at Michigan, and 31-14 at home against Rutgers coming into this weekend’s matchup with the Nittany Lions. So Penn State’s defense should be in good shape, and the offense could have the stage set for a nice confidence boost after last week’s demoralizing performance.

Some positive injury updates?

There is good news for Penn State’s injury report, however. Offensive guard [autotag]JB Nelson[/autotag] may be fully available this week after having his own medical scare a few weeks back at Northwestern. He may even get the start at guard this week.

[autotag]Amin Vanover[/autotag] could possibly return to the field this weekend as well. Vanover also left the Ohio State game with an injury last week. He is said to be a game-day decision for the Nittany Lions.

Penn State hosts Indiana on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 12:00 p.m. ET on CBS.

What will Penn State’s offensive line look like following retirement of Landon Tengwall?

Penn State’s offensive line took a hit with Landon Tengwall’s retirement, but it still looks to be a strength in 2023.

One of the biggest strengths Penn State had to look forward to entering the 2023 season was the offensive line. In the 10 years with James Franklin as the head coach, this is expected to be the best offensive line the program has had after years of rebuilding the quality depth for the line through recruiting efforts and continued development. That outlook took a little bit of a hit just days before the start of the regular season with the news of the sudden retirement of Landon Tengwall.

Tengwall announced his retirement from playing football due to a result of an injury he described as one that would prevent him from continuing to play safely. Tengwall was projected by many to be a starter at left guard alongside returning starting left tackle [autotag]Olu Fashanu[/autotag] and center [autotag]Hunter Nourzad[/autotag]. Now, a new opportunity to start is up for grabs.

Who will start at left guard now?

The most likely name to move into a starting role will be [autotag]JB Nelson[/autotag]. Nelson is a redshirt junior and one of the many players to come through the Penn State program as a JUCO transfer from Lackawanna College in Scranton. Penn State has had success with their Lackawanna College transfer additions with players like Jaquan Brisker and Ji’Ayir Brown on the defensive side of the football. Nelson has been praised for his development and was expected to be the first name on the depth chart behind Tengwall. Moving him into a starting role seems like the most natural move for James Franklin and offensive line coach [autotag]Phil Trautwein[/autotag].

Franklin’s comments in his Wednesday post-practice media availability suggested fans should see Nelson getting the starting nod this Saturday as the Nittany Lions host West Virginia in the season opener.

If Nelson is going to be the new starting left guard, the entire offensive line is still looking to be in good shape across the line. Here’s how it may look:

  • LT Olu Fashanu
  • LG JB Nelson
  • C Hunter Nourzad
  • RG [autotag]Sal Wormley[/autotag]
  • RT [autotag]Caedan Wallace[/autotag]

By moving Nelson up to the starting job, Penn State will be slightly more vulnerable with guard depth. [autotag]Vega Ioane[/autotag] is the top backup as a redshirt freshman, but Penn State did just add [autotag]Alex Birchmeier[/autotag] in the Class of 2023. Birchmeier was among the top offensive line recruits in the class and is expected to be a big piece of the future offensive line. Whether he is ready to be a top backup option at the start of the season remains to be seen.

Penn State also added [autotag]Anthony Donkoh[/autotag] in the Class of 2023, and he would be another backup option at guard if needed. With Tengwall retiring and Nelson likely moving into the starting job, Donkoh’s position on the depth chart may have been boosted up faster than Birchmeier as he has been working the left guard position since his arrival (Birchmeier has played on the right side).

Penn State still has what appears to be the best offensive line of Franklin’s career despite losing Tengwall. And the efforts on the recruiting trail in recent years have ensured the Nittany Lions have quality backup options in play, even if a couple are considered raw and untested to start the season.

Penn State opens the 2023 season on Saturday, Sept. 2 with a primetime matchup on NBC against West Virginia.

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2023 Penn State football snapshot profile: No. 56 JB Nelson

A snapshot look at Penn State offensive lineman JB Nelson appearing in the 2023 season.

Going into the 2023 football season, Nittany Lions Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Penn State roster. Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for James Franklin this season.

Continuing this effort is a look at one of the many products of the Lackawanna Community College pipeline for Penn State, offensive lineman [autotag]JB Nelson[/autotag]. Nelson joined the Nittany Lions last season and remains a key player on the depth chart for the offensive line going into this upcoming season. Here is a snapshot look at Nelson ahead of the 2023 season.

2022 Penn State football: Nittany Lions’ offensive line preview

Here’s a look at the offensive line depth for Penn State heading into the 2022 season.

Penn State has lost a couple of more veteran players on the offensive line leaving them with a more young and promising group. With just three seniors listed on the roster, a lot of young talent is going to be asked to grow up very quickly.

[autotag]Olumuyiwa Fashanu,[/autotag] who will be protecting the blindside of [autotag]Sean Clifford[/autotag], has a chance to become a keystone on this offensive line. The Maryland native has the size and speed at the tackle spot to really turn into something special this coming season.

Outside of Fashanu, there are a bunch of guys looking to earn their keep. Getting to know the vast depth of names on that young line may seem daunting but this list should help sort things out. A lot of these faces are going to be ones fans will see for the next two to three years.

Penn State announces uniform numbers for new players

Penn State has confirmed the jersey numbers for 10 new players in the program as spring football practices open

Penn State officially kicks off the spring football practice season on Monday, and a handful of new faces will get their first taste of spring football in Happy Valley. A number of early transfers from Penn State’s highly-touted Class of 2022 and a key addition through the transfer portal are getting to work with returning members of the program as Penn State looks to set the tone for what they hope will be a better 2022 season.

And with the start of spring football practices comes an official update to the roster, including a batch of new jersey numbers for the newest members of the program.

Penn State officially announced a batch of new uniform numbers for its newest players on the roster, including Western Kentucky transfer wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley, and Class of 2022 running back Nick Singleton and quarterback Drew Allar.

Here are the jersey numbers for 10 new players to the Penn State roster in 2022.

  • 5 – Mitchell Tinsley, wide receiver
  • 7 – Kaden Saunders, wide receiver
  • 9 – Beau Pribula, quarterback
  • 10 – Nick Singleton, running back
  • 13 – Kaytron Allen, running back
  • 15 – Drew Allar, quarterback
  • 18 – Omari Evans, wide receiver
  • 28 – Zane Durant, defensive tackle
  • 55 – JB Nelson, offensive line
  • 88 – Jerry Cross, tight end

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5 spring football questions for the Penn State offense

Will Sean Clifford really be challenged this spring? Can a freshman become the main running back? That and more pressing questions for Penn State’s offense this spring.

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The beginning of March can only mean one thing in Happy Valley. Because it looks like this will be another year without a spot in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, the focus can easily shift to the start of spring football practices. And once again we enter spring practices with Penn State likely feeling they need to prove something to their critics in 2022. If last year’s spring was about proving to the doubters that 2020 was a mere fluke, then this spring has to find a new way to deliver the message and set the tone after seeing a once-promising 2021 season unravel in the way it did.

Fortunately for Penn State, the program has some good pieces in place to begin setting the tone for some redemption in the upcoming season, but this is not a spring without a handful of big questions that must be addressed beginning this spring.

Penn State is set to open spring football practices on March 21, with the annual Blue-White Game currently scheduled for Saturday, April 23.

Here are five questions I have for Penn State’s offense that may be addressed this spring (we will address the defense next week).

Penn State Class of 2022: JUCO transfer JB Nelson a possible starter

Penn State Class of 2022 adds potential OL starter in JUCO transfer JB Nelson

Position: Offensive Tackle

Height: 6′-6″

Weight: 310 lb

Hometown: Scranton, PA

High School: Lackawanna Community College

Twitter: @Never_giveup95

Committed: July 2, 2021

247 Sports: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rivals.com: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Overview: 

Penn State will receive plenty of attention for the work done in the Class of 2022 with key positions like quarterback and running back, but it doesn’t matter how many stars those players have if there isn’t an offensive line to help them out. The addition of JUCO offensive tackle JB Nelson will hope to pave the path to success for Drew Allar and Nicholas Singleton in Happy Valley.

JB Nelson is among the latest JUCO transfers from Lackawanna College, which has become a bit of a pipeline for Penn State in recent years. The same program that has sent players like Jaquan Brisker and Ji’Ayir Brown to Penn State now will send one of its top offensive linemen in Nelson.

As is the case with many offensive linemen coming from the JUCO ranks, there is good room to grow for Nelson upon his arrival at Penn State, and getting to join the program in the spring semester should allow for that work to begin rather quickly. And that will be key as Penn State has room to improve on its entire offensive line in 2022 after a rough year in run blocking and allowing quarterback Sean Clifford to take a few too many hits under pressure in key spots.

Nelson brings the ability to step right into a starting role for Penn State, and he has some versatility to be moved to either tackle position according to his scouting reports. Offensive line coach Phil Trautwein will hope to get Nelson prepared for any position that is needed for the fall semester.

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Video highlights of each member of Penn State football’s Class of 2022

WATCH: Video highlights of each Penn State Class of 2022 player

Penn State locked in its Class of 2022 at the start of the NCAA’s early signing period, and with it comes a bunch of buzz for the future of the Nittany Lions under the leadership of head coach James Franklin. But chances are most of you are unfamiliar with what any of these new faces will bring to the table for Penn State. So it’s a good thing Penn State served up some highlight packages to give fans a quick glimpse of the kind of talent that is joining the program.

Enjoy this collection of video highlights of Penn State’s newest additions in the Class of 2022.