Tag: Omari Evans

2023 Penn State football snapshot profile: No. 5 Omari Evans

Omari Evans was a spring game standout for Penn State. Is he the missing piece on offense in 2023?

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 wide receiver Omari Evans. The sophomore came to Penn State with a good amount of potential and he was probably the biggest spring game winner out of the Blue-White Game. Could that be a preview of things to come this fall as Penn State’s offense begins getting to work with a new starting quarterback?

Omari Evans and Dani Dennis-Sutton riding Blue-White Game momentum into summer

Penn State should be encouraged by the spring game performances of these tow players going into the summer.

Coming off of Saturday’s Blue-White Game, the game’s MVPs are looking to take the next step together with their team in 2023.

Defensive lineman [autotag]Dani Dennis-Sutton[/autotag] and wide receiver [autotag]Omari Evans[/autotag] were honored for their efforts and the success they had against their teammates on Saturday. Coach [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] spoke highly of Dennis-Sutton as “unblockable” and by all accounts he was. With two sacks in the game, he stood out when watching the defense play. Penn State struggled last season finding an effective pass rush after being spoiled by years of fruitful returns by players who were good enough to go to the NFL. Dennis-Sutton will hope the duo of himself and [autotag]Chop Robinson[/autotag] can give Penn State that edge on [autotag]Manny Diaz’s[/autotag] defense.

On offense, Evans emerged as a potential playmaker at wide receiver at a time when the team needs players stepping up at the position. Evans finished with a team-best five catches for 80 yards including a 28-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Drew Allar. Sadly it would be the only time any Nittany Lion reached the end zone Saturday but that production should skyrocket in the fall.

Both Evans and Dennis-Sutton play crucial positions of need for Penn State. Their performances may be enough to allow Franklin and his staff to give attention to other positions in recruiting and transfer portal. Regardless of what those two groups do, these two sophomores will be and should be expected to take the next step. If they do, this team could be looking like the complete package on both sides of the ball after being very weak at two important positions.

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James Franklin’s post Blue-White Game thoughts on Penn State’s search for a third wide receiver

James Franklin updates his thoughts on Penn State’s search for a third receiver after the Blue-White Game

After losing two leading wide receivers to the NFL draft and graduation, the search for passing options was officially on this spring for Penn State. The return of [autotag]Keandre Lambert-Smith[/autotag], who is coming off a solid performance in the Rose Bowl helped keep one receiving spot stabilized for the Nittany Lions, but [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] knew it was important to find the other options as soon as possible for the offense to keep firing in the fall.

Penn State attacked the transfer portal in the offseason to bring in two options for the receiving game. One of the most likely replacements for a starting receiver position, [autotag]Dante Cephas[/autotag] from Kent State, is joining the program after the spring and will start getting to work with quarterback [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] this summer. Cephas is widely expected to lock down one of the starting jobs upon his arrival, leaving Franklin and offensive coordinator [autotag]Mike Yurcich[/autotag] hoping someone else would step up and be that coveted third receiver.

[autotag]Malik McClain[/autotag] from Florida State joined the program in time for spring practices and was able to participate in the Blue-White Game. That was beneficial as McClain had some good moments in his spring debut for the Nittany Lions. But the rising star coming out of Penn State’s Blue-White Game this spring may have been sophomore [autotag]Omari Evans[/autotag].

Evans scored the only touchdown of the spring game for the Nittany Lions when he found some rare open space against a tight defensive pass coverage, hauled in a pass from Allar after he scanned his progressions, and stretched into the endzone for the score (and was promptly penalized for excessive celebration).

After the game, Franklin commented on the performance of Evans and the overall search for a third passing option.

“I thought Omari (Evans) really stepped up and we need a third wideout to step up,” Franklin said in his postgame press conference. “So that was exciting to see him make some plays out there.”

“He’s strong and he’s physical, and he’s getting more and more confident day by day,” Franklin later added. “We need somebody to step up in that third wide receiver role. For the last week and a half, we moved him into that spot and obviously today was something to build on. There’s no doubt about it. He’s got all the tools.”

It is easy to overreact to a performance in a spring game, but Omari Evans certainly picked a good day to turn in the performance he did. We’ll see if that leads to a more meaningful role in the fall.

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Penn State defense shines in Blue-White Game

Penn State’s Blue-White Game is led by the defense and a potential contributing receiver shines.

For all of the attention that Penn State’s big playmakers on offense get, the defense was the real winner of the Blue-White Game on Saturday afternoon in  Beaver Stadium. Penn State’s 15th and final practice of the spring saw plenty of good pressure up front by Penn State’s defensive line and terrific coverage for much of the game from the pass defense, making life difficult for Penn State’s young quarterback combo of [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] and [autotag]Beau Pribula[/autotag].

Penn State’s edge rushers, specifically [autotag]Chop Robinson[/autotag] and [autotag]Zane Durant[/autotag], were impressive and the entire defensive line controlled the line of scrimmage for the bulk of the afternoon. Penn State’s offensive line may have some concerns as a result, although it was without one of its biggest players in Olu Fashanu. But it seemed as though the quarterbacks, who were playing for both teams in the spring game, were under constant pressure every time out, especially against the Blue team, which was comprised of mostly projected first-stringers.

While it was a quiet day for the offense, there was one player who seemed to make the most of the afternoon. Wide receiver [autotag]Omari Evans[/autotag] was the one receiver who seemed to find open spots on the field on a day when doing so seemed to prove difficult. Allar connected with Evans a few times, and Beau Pribula connected with him as well. With competition for a significant role in the receiving department as Penn State looks to find replacements for Parker Washington and Mitchell Tinsley, Evans came away as a spring game-winner.

Evans caught the only touchdown scored in the game, doing so on the second offensive possession led by Drew Allar in the first quarter.

Of course, the spring game is just one part of the offseason process that will ultimately lead to determining what happens in the fall. Head coach James Franklin got some good film to evaluate moving on after spring practices as decisions will have to be made about the roster. While a strong showing in a spring game can sometimes be the weight to tip a scale one way or another, it isn’t necessarily the final straw in any decisions by the coaching staff.

The good news for the Penn State offense is it won’t be facing too many defenses as the one it faced on Saturday once the 2023 season kicks off. There is some work to do, naturally, but there is time to fine-tune what is needed before the season begins.

Penn State will open the 2023 season at home against West Virginia on September 2. It should shape up to be a fun season for the Nittany Lions.

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WATCH: Drew Allar’s first Blue-White Game TD leads to celebration penalty

Yes, Penn State had a player flagged for excessive celebration in the spring football game.

Sure, it may just be a spring game, but Big Ten officials aren’t letting players slide a little bit on the celebrations. After Penn State’s Blue team put the first points on the board in the annual spring game, we saw our first penalty for excessive celebration from an official not allowing for any fun whatsoever.

[autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag], the presumed starting quarterback for the Nittany Lions in 2023, had a bumpy first offensive series in the Blue-White Game, but he was much smoother on his second series. After making his progressions, Allar found an open [autotag]Omari Evans[/autotag] down the middle of the field for a nice gain, and Evans worked his way into the endzone for the first score of the Blue-White Game. And that led Evans, who is among those competing for a significant role in the offense this fall, to spike the football with a little flair.

Unfortunately, that led to Evans being flagged for an unsportsmanlike penalty for the excessive celebration by an official working the game. Hey, it’s spring for the refs trying to get some work in as well, and this official wasn’t about to let this moment go without some discipline.

But on top of the penalty assessed to his team, Evans paid the ultimate price by having to do a series of up-downs on the sideline as punishment from the coaching staff.

On one hand, it would be nice if the spring game could allow for some fun moments and the officials hold on to the flag for stuff like this. It may be a spring game being worked as a more traditional game approach, but it’s still not an actual game. On the other hand, for a team working to take the next step toward being a legitimate Big Ten and College Football Playoff contender, perhaps it is good to keep the focus on doing everything possible now to be better prepared for big things in the fall.

But after giving it some though, let’s have some fun in the spring game and keep that flag in the pocket next time, ref.

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Penn State spring football preview: Wide receivers and tight ends

Who will be the wide receivers and tight ends to watch in Penn State spring football practices this year?

As Penn State gets ready to embark on the 2023 season, the offense will be expected to be the big storyline this fall. With a new starting quarterback taking the spotlight, it should not go without mentioning that the wide receiver position will be instrumental to Penn State’s success this season. And with its top two wide receivers and leading tight end from last season departing the program for the NFL, there is more to figure out on offense than whether or not its new quarterback is ready to take flight.

Penn State loses Parker Washington and Mitchell Tinsley at wide receiver and Brenton Strange at tight end. Together, that accounts for 1,550 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns to replace in the passing offense from a year ago. Fortunately, Penn State has some players ready to step up and make up for the lost production, including some young players that will continue to develop this spring.

Here is a look at what Penn State has to offer at wide receiver and tight end this spring when spring football practices open on March 14.

Keandre Lambert-Smith

Michael Hickey/Getty Images

Measurables: 6’1″, 184 lb

Year: Junior

Expected role: Starting wide receiver

KeAndre Lambert-Smith is Penn State’s top returning wide receiver from a season ago. Following the departures of Parker Washington and Mitchell Tinsley, Lambert-Smith has the most Penn State experience at the position, and he should remain a fixture in the offense for new starting quarterback Drew Allar to rely on stretching the field.

[autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag]

Harrison Wallace III

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Measurables: 6’1″, 196 lb

Year: Redshirt sophomore

Expected role: Possible starting wide receiver, solid contributor

Competing for a possible starting job could be Harrison Wallace III, who had 19 catches for 273 yards and a touchdown last season as a reserve option. Wallace finished sixth on the team in receiving yards in 2022 and is the third-leading receiver coming back from last year’s roster, although a pair of transfer additions to the roster means Wallace will look to make a statement this spring for consideration for an increased role in the fall.

NEXT: Key transfer additions

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Parker Washington suffers season-ending injury

James Franklin confirms the worst fears regarding Parker Washington.

After not traveling with the team for a road game at Rutgers, rumors were running rampant that Penn State wide receiver [autotag]Parker Washington[/autotag] is done for the year due to an injury. And on Tuesday, while not getting into the specifics of the injury, head coach [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] did confirm the worst fears among Penn State fans. Washington is officially done for the season.

Washington’s 2022 season comes to a premature close with 611 receiving yards on 46 receptions with two touchdowns in 10 games. Washington entered the 2022 season with high expectations but things got off to a bit of a slower start than most would have anticipated. It was not until late October when Washington scored his first touchdown of the season, but he exploded against Ohio State for 179 yards on a season-high 11 receptions.

The loss of Washington is a significant blow to Penn State’s offense as he had been reminding those watching just how dangerous he can be going into November. Penn State will rely on [autotag]Mitchell Tinsley[/autotag] and [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] to lead the way in the receiving game, and the offense may have more opportunities for players like [autotag]Harrison Wallace III[/autotag], [autotag]Omari Evans[/autotag], and [autotag]Malick Meiga[/autotag] to get some more playing time.

The reliance on the tight ends is also a safe route for the passing game with one final regular season game to be played, in addition to a postseason bowl game.

Penn State will host Michigan State this weekend and then wait to find out what bowl game they will be participating in. The latest bowl projections seem to be favoring the Citrus Bowl, but a path to the New Years Six is still on the table for the Nittany Lions as well.

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2022 Penn State football: Nittany Lions’ wide receivers preview

A quick look at what Penn State has on the roster at the wide receiver position heading into the 2022 season.

Penn State is prepping for a season in which the program hopes to redeem itself on the national stage. After back-to-back seasons of mediocre results, Penn State is aiming to bounce back and prove themselves worthy of being in the Big Ten championship hunt, if not a little bit more.

Penn State kicks off the 2022 season with a Thursday night primetime matchup at Purdue on September 1. After losing a first-round NFL draft pick in [autotag]Jahan Dotson[/autotag], Penn State has some big shoes to fill at wide receiver., Fortunately, the depth of the position could be in Penn State’s favor with the returns of [autotag]Parker Washington[/autotag] and [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] and the addition of transfer [autotag]Mitchell Tinsley[/autotag]. And there are some young receivers to look forward to as well.

Here is a look at what Penn State has on the roster at the wide receiver position for 2022, starting with the top three receivers that should be a factor with the first-team offense this fall.

Penn State football snapshot profile: No. 18 Omari Evans

The Nittany Lions have plenty of young receiver talent coming in this year. Snapshot profile of Omari Evans.

Going into the 2022 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.

Penn State has a promising wide receiver room for their future. Sure, losing Jahan Dotson is a fairly big loss. However, the Nittany Lions have plenty of young receiver talent coming in, and one of them is 3-star [autotag]Omari Evans[/autotag].

Penn State adds four-star receiver Ejani Shakir to Class of 2023

Penn State adds commitment from four-star wid receiver form New Jersey to Class of 2023

Penn State’s Class of 2023 got a little bit better on Wednesday night. [autotag]Ejani Shakir[/autotag], a four-star wide receiver from New Jersey, announced his commitment to the Nittany Lions to give Penn State’s current recruiting class an offensive weapon.

Penn State had been emerging as the favorite to secure Shakir’s commitment with West Virginia believed to be the top competition in the final stages of his recruiting process. The 6′-0″ 175-pound wide receiver is rated as a four-star prospect according to 247Sports, although the 247Sports composite ranking results in a three-star rating.

Shakir is the 12th member of Penn State’s current recruiting class for 2023 and he is the first wide receiver in the class. Penn State added [autotag]Kaden Saunders[/autotag], [autotag]Anthony Ivey[/autotag], [autotag]Omari Evans[/autotag], and [autotag]Tyler Johnson[/autotag] at the position in the Class of 2022. Penn State also welcomed Western Kentucky transfer [autotag]Mitchell Tinsley[/autotag] to the program this spring to help fill the void left by first-round draft pick [autotag]Jahan Dotson[/autotag] in the 2022 NFL draft. [autotag]Parker Washington[/autotag] and [autotag]KeAndre Lambert-Smith[/autotag] are each back for the 2022 season as well.

Shakir has said he felt Penn State would be his decision for. few months, but it was best to fully evaluate his options before coming to any final decision.

“To be honest with you, I felt like I knew I was going to go there since I went up there (a while ago),” Shakir said to Lions247. “A lot of schools didn’t really reach up to their potential. I knew I was going to go there for a couple of months.”

New Jersey is an important recruiting state for Penn State, as it typically is for a number of Big Ten programs. Shakir is the first New Jersey recruit in Penn State’s Class of 2023 at this point. Shakir is the No. 7 recruit overall in the state of New Jersey according to the 247Sports composite rankings (No. 3 just according to 247Sports).

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