Penn State football roundtable: Who are the players to watch in the 2020 season?

With less than three weeks until the season’s opening kickoff, the Centre Daily Times staff will have a weekly roundtable discussing various topics surrounding Penn State’s roster and what to expect from the team this year.

First up, we chose who to keep your eyes trained to on both sides of the ball.

Player to watch: Offense

Josh Moyer: Redshirt sophomore offensive tackle Rasheed Walker

I get it. Keeping an eye on the trenches isn’t as “sexy” as watching Journey Brown explode for a 70-yard run, or seeing Noah Cain rumble over three defenders. But Walker could very well become the Nittany Lions’ highest-drafted offensive lineman since LT Donovan Smith was taken 34th overall in 2015.

Sure, Walker had some hiccups as a first-year starter in 2019 — but his talent is undeniable. Pro Football Network’s Neal Driscoll projects him as a second-round NFL draft pick in 2021, and PFN’s Matt Valdovinos ranks him as the fourth-best offensive tackle in the class. So, enjoy watching Walker while you can.

Bret Pallotto: Junior wide receiver Jahan Dotson

Dotson is on his third wide receivers coach in as many years, along with his second offensive coordinator.

He’s had to forge a relationship with newcomers Taylor Stubblefield and Kirk Ciarrocca during the COVID-19 pandemic, which limited practice hours and prompted many video meetings.

That level of uncertainty doesn’t seem like a breeding ground for success, but Dotson is in line for a larger role this season after posting 27 receptions for 488 yards and five touchdowns in 2019.

He’s the most experienced pass catcher the Nittany Lions have behind junior tight end Pat Freiermuth and, after all, someone has to catch the ball.

Jon Sauber: Junior tight end Pat Freiermuth

Freiermuth is undoubtedly Penn State’s best weapon on the outside. He flourished in his two years with former offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne — earning plenty of targets as a reliable option in the passing game — and finished second on the team in receptions in 2018 and 2019.

He’s likely to lead the team in targets this year as the clear top returning receiving talent. What’s interesting about Freiermuth — and what makes him a player to monitor on offense — is how Ciarrocca will get him the ball.

The new offensive coordinator’s tight ends at Minnesota were seldom used as threats on the outside. With Freiermuth he has a weapon at his disposal that wasn’t available with the Golden Gophers. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Nittany Lion tight end to line up as a wide receiver more frequently this season.

Parth Upadhyaya: Redshirt junior running back Journey Brown

Yes, Journey Brown seems like a rather obvious choice here — but for good reason. The 5-foot-11, 215-pound RB ran for 593 yards in Penn State’s final five games of 2019. Sure, it’s a small sample size. But after finishing last season with 890 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground, Brown understands he’ll have to take an even bigger step forward this season, both on and off the field.

Once an overlooked three-star prospect with just two Power 5 scholarship offers (Penn State and Syracuse), Brown still carries a chip on his shoulder. A second-half breakout in 2019 got him on the national radar of many NFL draft experts, with The Athletic’s Dane Brugler even pegging him as the No. 1 running back prospect in the 2021 NFL draft. Expect Brown to hurdle over the 1,000-yard rushing mark this season and follow in the footsteps of former Nittany Lion stars Saquon Barkley and Miles Sanders.

Player to watch: Defense

Moyer: Redshirt sophomore defensive end Jayson Oweh

I’m not sure if we’ve ever seen a third-year defensive player with one career start with more preseason hype. But Jayson Oweh is not most players. He ranked No. 4 on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks list” — with numbers and physical tools that Penn State fans might never see again. Seriously. If he could match his reported 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, he would be the fastest front-seven NFL player in at least two decades.

His 10-foot-7 broad jump and 36-inch vertical are also impressive; his vertical is equal to second-round DB Antoine Winfield Jr. and his broad jump is an inch better than first-round WR Justin Jefferson. If he can put those tools together, he could make a national impact.

Pallotto: Sophomore linebacker Brandon Smith

Replacing the production of All-American linebacker Micah Parsons will likely be a group effort. And junior Jesse Luketa, redshirt junior Ellis Brooks and Smith are all expected to see the most time on the field.

Defensive coordinator Brent Pry acknowledged during an online news conference last week how roles among the group are flexible, but mentioned that Smith is “a big part of the plan right now.”

“There’s not a lot of guys walking around at 6-4 and 245, 250 and running like he does. He’s got tremendous length, he’s very physical, he runs very well,” Pry said. “He’s raw, but he’s eager. He’s learning every day. He’s become very coachable and we’re super excited about him. He’s a guy that his role is going to obviously increase tenfold.”

Sauber: Sophomore cornerback Marquis Wilson

Wilson is competing to win the starting cornerback role opposite Tariq Castro-Fields, and he should see plenty of playing time regardless of who wins the spot. The 5-foot-11, 166-pound corner doesn’t have elite size or strength, but he makes an impact with his ball skills and instincts at the position.

He tied for the team lead with two interceptions last year and added three forced fumbles to boot — all while playing limited snaps as a backup at the position. Wilson has excellent tracking skills with the ball in the air and does what he can to punch it out when a ball carrier is rushing toward him. Of course, there is a downside to attacking the ball so aggressively. He has a propensity to jump routes — which could lead to giving up big plays on double moves — and focuses on stripping the ball rather than securing a tackle.

The boom-or-bust nature of Wilson’s game makes him a player fans will have to keep their eyes on this year, especially if he wins the starting job.

Upadhyaya: Junior linebacker Jesse Luketa

Ask players on Penn State’s roster who they think is most likely to have a breakout season, and many fingers point toward Jesse Luketa. With Parsons no longer in the picture, Luketa will have to grow up quickly. But his teammates certainly think he’s up to the task. So does defensive coordinator Brent Pry, who compared Luketa’s game to former All-Big Ten LB Jason Cabinda.

That’s large praise for a player who started only two games in 2019. Luketa has made significant strides in the past, increasing his bench max by 115 pounds to 360 and dropping his 40-yard dash time from 4.92 to 4.68 in the summer of 2019. Being thrown into the fire with Parsons’ departure should make, not break, the Canadian hard hitter.