Penn State welcomes 22 freshmen to campus at the end of the month, a group that joins January enrollees Sterling Jenkins, Paris Palmer and Tommy Stevens. The crop of 2015 recruits is a key part of Penn State’s present and future as coach James Franklin finally pushes toward the NCAA scholarship limit of 85 after three years of sanctions.
Because of an inherently flawed roster that is still both inexperienced and out of balance, the incoming freshmen have a real shot at making an early impact. Eight true freshmen played for Franklin last season, a number that might be difficult to repeat but shows the staff’s willingness to let their best players play. That especially rings true for positions such as running back and defensive back, where young Nittany Lions could get their feet wet while potentially playing on special teams.
Bob Flounders, Ross Tucker and Dustin Hockensmith talked about the class in an effort to project instant impact players, redshirt candidates and areas where Franklin might have little choice but to turn to his youngest pupils. Check out audio from the Keystone Kickoff Show in this post and be sure to check our more podcasts and analysis on KeystoneSportsNetwork.com and on Twitter at @KSNSportsNet.