By Kyle Golik
Penn State freshman LB LaVar Arrington II has gone viral for his MASSIVE frame.
It's safe to say this 17-year-old is already a monster.
🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/sMpkdRpY4D
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) March 26, 2025
No. 5: Loaded Linebackers
Penn State head coach James Franklin was asked from the jump how the team will replace former linebacker Kobe King. King declared for the 2025 NFL Draft following the Orange Bowl. Penn State has experienced linebacker Dominic DeLuca back for a fifth season and junior Tony Rojas are expected to be the leading candidates to win the starting job.
It will not be easy securing those starting jobs as Franklin alluded to the plethora of young options behind DeLuca and Rojas that could challenge for the job.
“Some guys like [Keon] Wylie, who’s coming off an injury, that we’re going to need to get evaluated,” Franklin said. “Got Ta’Mere Robinson that’s ready to take the next step. [Anthony] Speca is a young player that we’re expecting to take the next step as well. You got [LaVar] Arrington [II], you got [Beckham] Dee, [Alex] Tatsch, who has been impressive since he showed up on campus, him and Arrington. Kari Jackson is a young guy ready to take the next step.”
Early observations from one of Penn State’s practices opened to the media was how physically gifted Arrington is and the ease he showed executing drills.
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With Franklin not elaborating on Rojas’ availability in spring ball due to injury—tagged as “not fully available”—this is an opportunity for someone to make that leap and make it a very competitive group. While Franklin said they will run primarily 4-2-5 scheme, he did mention they could subpackage to a 4-3 alignment. If the group can demand the reps in game, that will be an interesting wrinkle in Jim Knowles alignment.
No. 4: Franklin Tackles Big Picture
During Penn State’s playoff run to the College Football Playoff Semifinals, Franklin made waves by suggesting former Alabama head coach Nick Saban become commissioner of college football.
Franklin isn’t afraid to tackle subjects and was faced with the NIL revenue sharing and the suggested payroll being “quote, unquote” $16 million.
While Franklin didn’t comment specifics on payroll, he elevated the subject about the structure of the overall sport about the transfer portal being open while the season was playing—see Beau Pribula transfer—and now revenue sharing.
Franklin has maintained the last few seasons his stance that college football needs to be more transformational and not transactional. The takeaway here he is hoping the nation aligns behind something sooner rather than later.
No. 3: Trautwein Lauded for Work
One of Penn State’s strengths heading into the 2025 season will be the offensive line. The work offensive line coach Phil Trautwein has put in hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“The closer you are to the ball, it’s a man’s game in there. Age, strength and size is a major factor. We worked very hard at building those numbers, and Traut has done a phenomenal job,” Franklin said.
The key takeaway as to why Penn State has solidified its offensive line is because it has built the depth and has the numbers to key on certain groups.
During Franklin’s explanation, he went into the numbers game with the offensive line group and the dilemma coaches face when they are short at a position. When the offensive line was short it impacted the entire offense because you cannot develop the chemistry with the backfield or receivers.
Franklin kept the status quo on the injury to Anthony Donkoh. Donkoh played as a freshman and was up for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award. Chuck Losey, who had availability two weeks prior, commented on the line progressing as normal through his strength and conditioning program.
No. 2: Allar’s Next Steps
When we last saw quarterback Drew Allar, he threw an ill-timed interception to end Penn State’s season. Allar wanted a shot at redemption and is coming back for a senior year where he hopes to raise his own stock for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Franklin touched on a few areas that Allar needs to improve on.
“Yeah, so a couple things. A lot of times it’s not like one thing. I would say that’s the case with Drew,” Franklin said. “He needs to take another step this year, which we think he’s done every year he’s been here. He needs to take another step when it comes to his mobility. He needs to take another step when it comes to his leadership. He needs to take another step in it terms of his completion percentage. Needs to take another step in terms of his touchdown-interception ratio. It’s really all of it.”
Last season saw Allar take a giant leap in a lot of areas, most notably mobility and with the lack of support from receivers having to thread the needle. There was obvious poor decision making at times that led to turnovers, something Allar has to process better.
Devonte Ross against Kenny Woesley Jr. in 1-on-1s pic.twitter.com/EgGTtCI4LG
— Lexie Linderman (@lexieleigh28) March 25, 2025
No. 1: The Wide Receivers
Overall, my sense is Franklin is pleased with Allar where he is at and it is the final refinements to get him elevated to be a Day 1 NFL Draft choice in 2026. In order for Allar’s talents to be maximized, he needs dependable receivers to make plays.
Franklin mentioned the departure of tight end Tyler Warren, who rewrote all the single-season receiving records at Penn State last season, should open opportunities for others to make plays.
“To me, I look at it as an exciting time,” Franklin said. “If I’m a wide receiver or a tight end, I’m excited, because Tyler Warren had how many catches last year? Those catches have to go somewhere, right? If I’m wide receivers, I’m excited. If I’m tight ends, I’m excited. That production needs to go somewhere.”
Throughout last season, the Penn State wide receiver room produced two 100-games against Power Four competition: Harrison Wallace III against West Virginia and Liam Clifford against UCLA.
The Orange Bowl exacerbated the issues when the wide receivers of Penn State combined for zero catches against Notre Dame.
With Omari Evans and Wallace exiting into the transfer portal, it opened the door for Devonte Ross (Troy) and Kyron Hudson (Southern California) in the transfer portal to come.
Franklin highlighted what both can bring to the table.
On Hudson, Franklin said, “He’s just a guy comes from a great high school program. Played at a big-time college program. Had success at this level already. But the other thing I will say about him is like whoever you talk to from his high school, whoever you talk to from his previous institution and on our current team, everybody just loves the guy. Tremendous work ethic. Obviously made some big time plays. Everybody saw the huge catch against LSU, the one-handed catch. So he’s done it at this level before.”
Franklin then highlighted Ross, especially his performance against Iowa last season where he finished with five receptions for 142 yards and two touchdown receptions along with a 77-yard punt return in Kinnick Stadium.
“With Ross, very different scenario, different body type, different school he came from,” Franklin said. “I will tell you one of the things that really jumped out at us is I have a ton of respect for the University of Iowa’s football program and what Coach [Kirk] Ferentz has been able to do there, specifically on defense and special teams. And that young man, I think Troy was beating Iowa at the half at Iowa, which we know that’s a tough place to play.”
It is fair at this junction to be skeptical of the wide receivers, wide receivers coach Marques Hagans, even Franklin himself over the analysis. The group has to prove it when it matters and anything Franklin has to say falls on deaf ears until they prove it otherwise.
