Tag: Olu Fashanu

Top photos from Kaytron Allen’s 2022 season

Kaytron Allen has already had an impact on the Penn State running game in 2022. Here are the best photos from his freshman season.

We are just a few months away from the 2023 NFL Draft. Not only that, but we are also nearing the NFL Combine. Penn State will be losing key players on both sides of the ball to the draft this spring. However, the Nittany Lions had plenty of underclassmen play on both sides of the ball throughout the 2022 season.

On defense, we have cornerback [autotag]Kalen King[/autotag] and linebacker [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag]. On the offense, Penn State’s biggest returning player is offensive lineman [autotag]Olu Fashanu[/autotag]. On top of that, they also have an exciting running back room led by [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] and [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag].

Both were freshmen this past season, and the exciting part is Penn State will get at least two more years of this exciting running back duo. Despite the hype and success of Singleton in his first season, Allen certainly did not go unnoticed either.

Let’s take a look at the top moments from Kaytron Allen at Penn State throughout the 2022 season.

How Parker Washington fits every team in the AFC East

Here is how Parker Washington fits with every team in the AFC East.

We are just a few short months away from the 2023 NFL Draft. Penn State has a few notable prospects in this class from both sides of the ball. Let’s head over to the offense.

[autotag]Olu Fashanu[/autotag] made the surprising announcement to return to State College next season. However, the Nittany Lions still have three names to keep an eye on for this spring. This week, we take a look at wide receiver [autotag]Parker Washington[/autotag].

We first learned of the emergence of Washington in the 2022 Outback Bowl against Arkansas, where he finished with seven catches for 98 yards. Not only that, but Washington also had himself a highlight reel, a one-handed catch during that game.

Needless to say, Washington has developed into a productive prospect for the next level. There are plenty of NFL teams that could use a pass-catcher like Washington.

Let’s take a look at how Parker Washington fits with every team in the AFC East.

Key Penn State Class of 2024 recruiting targets to keep on your radar

Here is a look at some recruits to keep on your radar in 2024 for Penn State.

We are about a month into the offseason and about a month past the Rose Bowl, where Penn State went home with an impressive victory over Utah. On top of that, [autotag]Sean Clifford[/autotag] went out with a bang for his Penn State football career.

Now, it’s time to start looking ahead into spring ball and the 2023 season. The Nittany Lions have some key talent returning, including [autotag]Olu Fashanu[/autotag] and [autotag]Adisa Isaac[/autotag].

Penn State scored big with their freshman running backs in [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] and [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag]. On top of that, they will also have London Montgomery coming in next season. The future is bright in the Penn State running back room.

Penn State has also been deep in the recruiting trail and looking ahead into 2024.

There are a few notable recruits that Penn State has offered. Even ones that have narrowed down their list of schools with Penn State on them.

Let’s take a closer look into the 2024 class of Penn State football recruits to keep on your radar.

PHOTOS: Top moments from Olu Fashanu’s time at Penn State

Here are the top moments from Olu Fashanu’s Penn State career thus far.

As the Senior Bowl concludes, we now begin the preparations for the NFL Combine next month.

The Nittany Lions have a few notable prospects on both sides of the ball.

However, there is one name, who many analysts had in their top 10 on their big board.

We are talking about offensive tackle [autotag]Olu Fashanu[/autotag].

Fashanu started his first full season in 2022, and many were impressed at how quickly he was developing.

The strides Fashanu was making had NFL scouts out of their seats.

However, Fashanu made the surprising announcement to return to Penn State for the 2023 season.

With Fashanu now able to gain more starting experience next season at the college level, he now has a chance to solidify himself as potentially the top offensive lineman in the 2024 draft class.

He has had quite an impressive career so far at State College.

Let’s take a look at some of the top photos from Olu Fashanu’s time at Penn State entering 2023.

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Penn State vs. West Virginia one of the best 2023 season openers

247Sports ranked the top 10 season openers for 2023. Here’s where Penn State-West Virginia ranked.

Longtime Penn State fans are looking forward to seeing one of Penn State’s old regional rivalries finally renewed for the first time since before Penn State joined the Big Ten. Penn State will reunite with West Virginia on the football field for the first since 1992, Penn State’s final season as an independent football program, when the two schools meet in Beaver Stadium to kick off the 2023 season. The enthusiasm for the short-term revival of the series is one of the highlights of college football’s Week 1 schedule for a variety of reasons, and Penn State being a team receiving plenty of hype for the 2023 season already is just a part of that logic.

247Sports published a list of the top 10 season openers to look forward to in the 2023 season, and Penn State’s home game with West Virginia was squarely in the middle of the list. The matchup between the Nittany Lions and Mountaineers ranks no. 5 on the list from 247Sports and is the highest game on the list involving a Big Ten team (thanks to Ohio State and Notre Dame’s matchup in South Bend not taking place until later in September).

“A team that didn’t reach the College Football Playoff last season that should be a contender to make their first appearance in 2023 is Penn State,” 247Sports writes. “Longtime quarterback Sean Clifford has moved on and graduated and former five-star quarterback [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] should be handed the keys to the offense. Penn State got a boost when star offensive tackle [autotag]Olu Fashanu[/autotag] announced he would be returning for one more season. West Virginia is looking to bounce back from a disappointing 5-7 season.”

It’s true, West Virginia did not have a great season in 2022, but the Mountaineers still figure to be a good opening test for Penn State as Drew Allar is broken in as the team’s new starting quarterback. And throw in a dash of regional pride, considering many of these players involved in the game at one point had to make a decision between the two schools, and there should be some good energy attached to the game.

Plus, it’s just going to be awesome to see these two programs and fanbases together again. A lot of time has passed since the last meeting between these two programs, but stories of the festive and friendly tailgating scenes from years past will hopefully carry over to today’s environment.

Penn State and West Virginia have a two-game home-and-home series planned that begins in State College in 2023. Penn State will make the long-awaited return to Morgantown to open the 2024 season.

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Penn State’s Class of 2023 recognized for offensive line strength

247Sports says Penn State’s offensive line effort paid off in the Class of 2023

Penn State made a concentrated effort to beef things up on the offensive line in the Class of 2023. After locking down commitments from three four-star linemen in the early signing period, the Nittany Lions capped the recruiting class with one more four-star player for the offensive line on the traditional national signing day this week with the addition of Chimdy Onoh. As the recruiting classes around the country settle as it looks like Penn State’s class is now complete barring any potential transfer portal adjustments moving forward, the effort made with the offensive line is being recognized in the recruiting roundup summaries.

247Sports took a look at a number of the recruiting classes that best improved their school’s rosters, with the idea that not every recruiting class needed to attack the same positions in order to improve the roster. For instance, Penn State got the help it needed at some skill positions in the Class of 2022 with players like running backs [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] and [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] and quarterback [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag], so the focus on those positions in 2023 was not nearly as pressing. Instead, Penn State worked on the offensive line that will allow those players to continue to shine in 2023 and beyond.

Penn State’s offensive line was the key area of improvement highlighted by 247Sports, and it is understandable why. With [autotag]Olu Fashanu[/autotag] deciding to return next season, along with [autotag]Hunter Nourzad[/autotag] and [autotag]Caedan Wallace[/autotag], the Nittany Lions have the look of a solid offensive line going into the 2023 season, but the Class of 2023 will help keep things stabilized for big offensive line play after the 2023 season.

Here’s what 247Sports had to say about Penn State’s offensive line focus in the Class of 2023;

Penn State solidified its future along the offensive line with four bluechip signees, including two interior players and two offensive tackles. The Nittany Lions grabbed two of the top six tackles, with Alex Birchmeier (6-5, 285) leading the pack as the nation’s No. 2 player at the position. Fast riser Chimdy Onoh, a four-star tackle, picked Penn State over Michigan State on National Signing Day, providing yet another boost to an impressive class. Onoh’s meteoric rise through the 247Sports rankings in December was somewhat surprising. He went from an Old Dominion commitment in mid-December to garnering multiple Power Five offers in a matter of days as a four-star prospect. Most of the attention he generated was from the Big Ten and SEC. He entered National Signing Day as the nation’s No. 13 offensive tackle prospect.

The 247Sports summary goes on to highlight the idea that the new additions to the offensive line will not feel the pressure of being thrown into the mix right away. The returning linemen for Penn State will allow the Class of 2023 signees to take some time to develop and being fully prepared for their roles on the line, but knowing that any one of them could step in early if needed is a luxury as well.

Penn State signed the top-rated player in Pennsylvania with [autotag]J’ven Williams[/autotag] at offensive tackle, the top-rated player in Virginia with [autotag]Alex Birchmeier[/autotag], and another top 10 player from Virginia with [autotag]Anthony Donkoh[/autotag] in the early signing period. Onoh joined the class this week on the traditional signing day.

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ESPN’s way-too-early preseason All-Americans for 2023

Penn State’s biggest offensive player returning in 2023 highlights on ESPN’s way-too-early All-American list

If way-too-early top 25 rankings for the 2023 season are now a thing of the past, then it is supposedly on to predicting the way-too-early preseason All-Americans for 2023. ESPN has released its list of the way-too-early 2023 All-Americans for next season, and one of Penn State’s top players coming back next fall made the cut.

Offensive tackle Olu Fashanu was the only Penn State player to make the list of way-too-early All-American predictions from ESPN. Fashanu was one of two Big Ten players on the offensive line to be highlighted by EPSN, with Michigan offensive guard Zak Zinter being the other.

Other Big Ten players on the offense include Michigan running back Blake Corum and Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton was the only Big Ten player named on defense.

Here is what ESPN said about Fashanu;

Penn State has a talented nucleus of returnees on offense, and the 6-6, 308-pound Fashanu will be back for his redshirt junior season at left tackle. He was in his first full season as a starter a year ago and blossomed as both a pass protector and as a run-blocker. There was some thought that Fashanu might turn pro, but he said he had unfinished business with the Nittany Lions. He gives quarterback Drew Allar much-needed comfort on his blind side as Allar takes over the starting quarterback duties.

Fashanu surprised many in the NFL draft community when he announced he would be returning to Penn State for another season in 2023. Fashanu had been viewed as a potential first-round draft pick in the scouting community, so his decision to return for another season with Penn State threw a few curveballs at the mock drafts. It also gives Fashanu a chance to improve his draft stock to be an earlier first-round draft pick possibility, but it also could be a risk for his draft outlook.

Either way, Penn State is getting back a big piece on the offensive line to help protect [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] and allow the running duo of [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] and [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] continue to shine on the ground in 2023.

You can view the entire list of way-too-early All-Americans for 2023 from ESPN here.

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Penn State a winner at NFL draft declaration deadline

247Sports called Penn State a winner after the NFL draft declaration deadline, and it’s easy to see why.

The deadline for college football players to declare for the NFL draft has officially passed, and Penn State looks to be among the schools sitting in a good spot as the deadline passes by as we look toward the 2023 season. 247Sports profiled Penn State among their draft declaration deadline winners, and it is easy to see why.

Penn State got a big lift with the return of offensive lineman [autotag]Olu Fashanu[/autotag]. Fashanu’s decision to return for another season caught many by surprise and had an immediate impact on the mock drafts out there. Had he gone to the draft, Fashanu was being viewed by draft analysts as a potential first-round draft pick. His return to Penn State gives the offensive line some great stability and continuity as the offense moves to a new starting quarterback in [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] and hopes to continue to watch the young running back dup of [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] and [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] take its next steps.

But the defense is also bringing back a couple of key pieces next year with linebacker [autotag]Curtis Jacobs[/autotag] and defensive lineman [autotag]Adisa Isaac[/autotag] confirming they will be back in blue and white in the fall.

Penn State is losing a couple of key players from the 2022 roster to the 2023 NFL draft process. Cornerback [autotag]Joey Porter Jr.[/autotag] declared for the NFL draft prior to knowing Penn State would be playing in the Rose Bowl, and thus opted out of the bowl season entirely to begin focusing on his draft prep. The decision was hardly a surprise given he likely would have been drafted in 2022 had he gone pro and he could end up being a first-round draft pick in this year’s draft if things work out.

Wide receiver [autotag]Parker Washington[/autotag] suffered a season-ending injury late in the year, which made it pretty easy for him to sit out the bowl season and focus on what’s next for him at the next level. Washington also declared for the 2023 NFL draft as Penn State was preparing for the Rose Bowl. Washington’s departure for the NFL with eligibility on the table was expected for a while.

With what is coming back to the roster in 2023 and what is expected with some new faces taking on increased roles, and coming off a big victory in the Rose Bowl, Penn State has a lot to look forward to and a good amount of hype it will have to prove worthy of receiving once the season kicks off in the fall.

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Sporting News way-too-early top 25 slightly less optimistic about Penn State in 2023

Sporting News is slightly less optimistic about Penn State’s outlook in 2023 compared to other way-too-early rankings

It seems that most of the way-too-early top 25 rankings for the 2023 season are suggesting Penn State will be in the Big Ten and College Football Playoff hunt with rankings sitting just outside of the College Football Playoff. The Sporting News also sees Penn State having a top-10 worthy season but is coming off slightly less optimistic about its ranking next season.

The Sporting News’ way-too-early top 25 ranking released this week places Penn State at no. 9 in its look ahead to the 2023 season. That is a few spots lower than similar way-too-early rankings released by 247Sports and ESPN, for example. But it may be unfair to suggest Sporting News thinks Penn State won’t be as good as the other rankings suggest. It may be more of the fact Sporting News is more optimistic about some other programs than the other outlets have been.

The top four in the Sporting News ranking are similar to most others with Georgia and Alabama taking the top two spots and Michigan and Ohio State each ranked ahead of Penn State. But Sporting News has USC, TCU, LSU, and Tennessee all ranked ahead of the Nittany Lions.

Here is what Sporting News had to say about Penn State in 2023;

[autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] broke the losing streak against top-10 teams with Penn State’s impressive 35-14 victory against Utah in the Rose Bowl. Now, the [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] era at quarterback begins, and running back [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] seems primed to be one of the best running backs in the country. Tackle [autotag]Olu Fashanu[/autotag] is back, too. Defensive coordinator [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag] returns a solid unit that features [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag] and [autotag]Kalen King[/autotag]. This might be their best team since the 2016 Big Ten championship team. Michigan visits Happy Valley, and the Nittany Lions have to win at Ohio State. The stakes have not changed.

Penn State going 2-0 against Michigan and Ohio State would in all likelihood put Penn State firmly in the playoff picture, as long as it avoids a speedbump elsewhere on its 2023 schedule. But just earning a split between the two teams could be enough to factor into Penn State having a shot at the Big Ten title, and perhaps a spot in the College Football Playoff for the first time. But the assessment is correct in suggesting Penn State has to do some damage against the Wolverines and Buckeyes if it wants to take the next step toward a playoff berth.

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Start time for 2023 Blue-White Game announced

Penn State has announced the start time for this year’s Blue-White spring game.

We already knew what day the Penn State Blue-White Game was going to be played. Now we know the scheduled start time.

On Tuesday, Penn State announced the official start time for this year’s spring game, the highlight of the weekend in State College. Penn State’s annual Blue-White Game will begin at 2:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 15.

It is unconfirmed at this point in time if the game will be available for viewing on the Big Ten Network or any other network, but that information will be made available at a later time.

Penn State will head into the 2023 Blue-White Game with a rising sense of optimism surrounding the team after an 11-2 season with a victory in the Rose Bowl to cap things off. Penn State finished at no. 7 in both the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25, and the Nittany Lions are a trendy top 10 pick already in the various way-too-early top 25 projections for next season.

Penn State will return some key pieces on defense with the returns of [autotag]Adisa Isaac[/autotag] and [autotag]Curtis Jacobs[/autotag] to go with the rising stardom of players like [autotag]Kalen King[/autotag] and [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag]. The offense will continue to build confidence in the running game with [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] and [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] leading the way behind an offensive line that will return [autotag]Olu Fashanu[/autotag] and introduce some new stars in the Class of 2023 with [autotag]J’ven Williams[/autotag] and [autotag]Alex Birchmeier[/autotag]. And, of course, this spring will see [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] step into the leading role at quarterback as the successor to Sean Clifford, who leaves Penn State after rewriting the school’s record book for the past six years.

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