Examining the Lions' depth chart heading into the summer

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- So much work takes place behind the scenes between now and late July that will impact the product on the field come September.

Last year this was a team where the leaders met with James Franklin in the summer to discuss their ideas about competing for a championship and first making sure they were all on the same page when it came to talking about and believing that they could win one. While the conversations in that regard will be different this year, so too will a few of the spots where positions are up for grabs and depth has to be re-established at others.

Based off of what we saw and learned this spring -- coupled with what's transpiring on the recruiting trail -- below is a position-by-position breakdown of where this team stands headed into the summer.

QUARTERBACK



• Trace McSorley (Sr/Jr)
• Tommy Stevens (Jr/So)
• Jake Zembiec (So/Fr)
• Sean Clifford (Fr/Fr) (arrives this summer)

What we learned this spring

Stevens’ spring went about as good as possible. From his second-half performance in the Blue-White Game to his work in practices and scrimmages, teammates and coaches raved about his progress. Penn State has a very strong backup to McSorley in the redshirt sophomore and that’s certainly something this team hasn’t had the past few seasons.

“I’m a big Tommy Stevens fan,” defensive coordinator Brent Pry said following spring practice. “Him and Trace both, those dual-threat guys it’s one thing when they can run and spin the ball, but when they have the type of mentality that those two guys have—Tommy is just so tough and aggressive. He’s just a gamer. We love that about him.”

What Penn State doesn’t have is a No. 3 quarterback. Billy Fessler, who was put on scholarship in January and presumably just for the spring semester, competed with Zembiec for the No. 3 spot. Walk-on Michael Shuster is also back there. If all of these scholarship players are to stay we should find out likely within the next week or two since the spring semester closes on May 5 with the last day of finals and the first summer session begins May 15.

What’s happening on the recruiting trail?

The race to keep verbal pledge Justin Fields will be one that likely extends until signing day. The Georgia native continues to skyrocket up recruiting boards and as the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback in the nation don’t expect the hype to go away anytime soon. Fields will participate in The Elite 11 finals this summer in California where he’ll try to punch his ticket to the finale in Beaverton, Ore. He’s picked up scholarship offers from Florida State and Baylor in the past month and even received a visit from Alabama. Expect that list to continue to grow during 7v7s this summer where he quarterbacks Cam Newton’s team and again after Fields' participation in the Elite 11 qualifier.

RUNNING BACK

• Mark Allen (Sr/Jr)
• Johnathan Thomas (Sr/Jr)
• Saquon Barkley (Jr/Jr)
• Andre Robinson (Jr/So)
• Miles Sanders (So/So)
• Journey Brown (Fr/Fr)

What we learned this spring

Robinson and Allen were the go-to guys during spring ball, but Barkley improved his patience and understanding of the game by sitting and watching the team’s live reps.

“When you got a fast horse it’s hard for him not to come out of the gates fast at the Derby and win it,” running backs coach Charles Huff said. “But for him patience, not only on the field but off the field, knowing that he was going to get limited reps and limited situations and making the most out of those situations, getting ready to move forward now kind of as the season goes on getting his body prepared. How he’s going to train? How he’s going to prepare? How he’s got to eat right? Those things. Sometimes you learn the best when you watch.”

Sanders was sidelined by an injury, which those reps would’ve been important for the sophomore. However, he got his toes wet last year so him missing spring ball certainly is far from the end of the world. This position group will be loaded in the fall and should be the deepest on the team.

What’s happening on the recruiting trail?

The Lions should be all set here, given the stable of backs they have plus the solid verbal pledge of five star Ricky Slade. Slade qualified last month for The Opening where he will have a chance to square off against other elite prospects in this cycle. Ranked as the No. 26 player in the class by 247Sports, Penn State has a whole lot to like at the running back position and Slade sets them up really well for years to come.

WIDE RECEIVER

• DaeSean Hamilton (Sr/Sr)
• Saeed Blacknall (Sr/Sr)
• De’Andre Thompkins (Sr/Jr)
• Brandon Polk (Jr/Jr)
• Juwan Johnson (Jr/So)
• Irv Charles (Jr/So)
• Dae’lun Darien (So/Fr)
• KJ Hamler (Fr/Fr; January enrollee)
• Cameron Sullivan-Brown (Fr/Fr)
• Mac Hippenhammer (Fr/Fr)

What we learned this spring

Did you hear that Johnson had a big spring? Good, just making sure.

Johnson was the story of the spring while Charles’ progress didn’t sound like it came along as much. There’s still a lot of time to develop this summer, but there’s no denying Johnson will have a big role in this offense this year.