Despite losing players like Saquon Barkley, Mike Gesicki, and Marcus Allen to the NFL, Penn State will arguably field its most talented roster from top to bottom since James Franklin’s arrival this fall.

While record-setting quarterback Trace McSorley and stud freshman linebacker Micah Parsons have garnered most of the headlines this offseason, a handful of veterans are also poised to make a significant splash.

Here are four who could take on bigger roles for the Nittany Lions in 2018:

Mark Allen

Miles Sanders will take over the starting duties for Barkley as a junior, but Allen is still the elder statesman in Ja’Juan Seider’s running backs room. The graduate senior from Hyattsville, MD, has logged 365 all-purpose yards and two career touchdowns in spot duty. 

Allen has returned punts for the Nittany Lions and has solid hands out of the backfield, but perhaps the biggest reason why he has a leg up on Journey Brown and Johnathan Thomas to become Sanders’ primary spell is because of his blocking.

You wouldn’t think a 5-foot-6 running back could take on the Big Ten’s best pass rushers, but Allen uses his leverage surprisingly well and has a firm command of offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne’s playbook.

Incoming five-star Ricky Slade Jr. may prove too good to keep off the field as a true freshman, which would cut into Allen’s reps, but there’s still plenty of playing time to go around in the post-Barkley era.

Brandon Polk

Though he played in all 13 games last season, Polk only caught nine passes due in large part to the logjam of talent ahead of him at receiver.

With the graduation of DaeSean Hamilton and Saeed Blacknall, the redshirt junior earned a starting spot during spring practice. He flexed outside to the Z position, while DeAndre Thompkins moved to the slot in Hamilton’s absence.

Polk missed the majority of 2016 with a season-ending injury, but was granted a medical redshirt after appearing in just three games. One of the fastest players on the team, Polk has 664 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns to his name.

He could resume his role as Penn State’s starting kick returner this season with Barkley off to the New York Giants. Polk hauled in a 15-yard touchdown in the third quarter of a blowout win over Georgia State. Chances are he’ll be finding the end zone more often this fall.

Jarvis Miller

Miller appeared in eight games as a redshirt sophomore last season after seeing the field in all 14 the year prior. The safety-turned-linebacker has yet to carve out a significant role for himself on defense, but that should change this season.

Cam Brown and Koa Farmer are locks to start for defensive coordinator Brent Pry, but the third linebacker spot is still up in the air.

Redshirt freshman Ellis Brooks may nail down the Mike job during training camp, and Parsons is sure to see the field in some capacity, but Miller seems to have turned the corner in his development and will warrant more snaps.

Miller, who earned his black belt in karate at age 13, will battle it out with Jake Cooper and true freshman Jesse Luketa for a place on the two-deep come August. The Suffield, CT, native has the speed to play sideline to sideline, which may give him the upper hand.

Ayron Monroe

Some thought Monroe had a legitimate chance to beat out Troy Apke for a starting job heading into last season, but Apke took hold of the safety spot opposite Marcus Allen and didn’t let go.

Monroe has the ball skills to be a serious contributor for Penn State this year even though it appears Garrett Taylor and Nick Scott are penciled in to start. He’s played in 21 games so far and led the Nittany Lions in special teams tackles in 2016 with 12.

Penn State is fairly stacked at safety with Lamont Wade, Jonathan Sutherland, John Petrishen, and freshman Isaiah Humphries all jockeying Monroe for playing time.

However, the Nittany Lions had just 10 interceptions last season and could certainly use a player like Monroe who can high point the ball in make-or-break games against Ohio State and Michigan.