Who did James Franklin say is the 'buzz' of Penn State's spring camp so far?

Five practices in, Penn State might have already found its star of the spring.

Say hello to redshirt freshman KJ Hamler, a wideout with speed to burn and sky-high potential at a position of need.

“KJ’s probably the buzz of the camp right now with the players and the coaches,” Penn State head coach James Franklin said after Wednesday’s practice at Holuba Hall. “He’s an exciting prospect.”

And it’s easy to see why. Hamler, a former four-star talent who clocked a 4.43 40-yard dash as a prospect two years ago, is blazing by Nittany Lion defensive backs.

Franklin said the 5-foot-9, 172-pound pass-catcher is “so quick and so fast,” when typically, a receiver is one or the other.

Meanwhile, senior DeAndre Thompkins — touted for years as one of the fastest players in the program — gave Hamler some serious props.

“The dude’s fast,” Thompkins said Wedensday, shaking his head. “KJ is a lightning bolt. I love to think I’m the fastest guy on the team, but he might have me.”

Hamler, an early enrollee last spring, has showcased his speed for a couple camps at this point. So why now for Thompkins’ praise? Well, the wideout said Hamler is responsible for spring camp’s best play so far: A post move torching Penn State’s Cover 2 defense.

“He was gone,” Thompkins said. “As soon as the ball was in the air, you knew it was a touchdown.”

The Nittany Lions are hoping Hamler can do the same to Big Ten defenses come the fall. Someone needs to step up.

DaeSean Hamilton is gone, leaving an open spot in the slot. Between Penn State’s all-time leading receiver, running back Saquon Barkley and tight end Mike Gesicki, the Nittany Lions lose 164 receptions, 2,052 yards and 21 touchdowns from 2017.

One player isn’t going to make up for that missing production. But Hamler can help.

The IMG Academy product still isn’t “as efficient with his movements as he needs to be,” Franklin said. But Hamler blocks well for his size, his speed is undeniable, and he’s having one heck of a spring so far.

“Seeing him behind me, me mentoring him, he’s taking every little piece of knowledge and soaking it up,” Thompkins said. “As a player, coachability is something I known a lot of people don’t have, and he has it.

“KJ, right now, is just on fire.”

This story was originally published March 29, 2018 at 4:12 PM with the headline "Who did James Franklin say is the 'buzz' of Penn State's spring camp so far?."