“I’m an old man,” joked Penn State football wide receiver Julian Fleming.

Fleming is entering his fifth year of college football. The Catawissa, Pennsylvania, native spent the last four years at Ohio State before he transferred to Penn State in January. The veteran has seen a lot and learned plenty.

“I learned a lot of lessons,” Fleming said. “There are too many to even think about right now.”

Fleming, a former five-star who was compared to Julio Jones when he committed to the Buckeyes, never fully got his feet on the ground in Columbus. Injuries were a significant reason he only had 963 receiving yards and seven touchdowns over four seasons.

“Coach Franklin says, ‘Availability is the best ability,'” and obviously, I’ve had a lot of bumps in my career with injuries and things of that nature. So, just being available to play whenever is one of the most important things I’ve learned.”

Fleming’s health is huge for Penn State’s offense under new coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. After losing KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Fleming is viewed as not just anyone, but the guy heading into the season by many. The expectations are high, and perhaps too high, for his on-field production.

What Penn State hopes to be getting in Fleming isn’t just an asset in big games. His experience playing college football is valuable in mentoring the likes of Liam Clifford, Trey Wallace, and others who will be required to take significant steps if the Nittany Lions are to succeed in 2024.

“He’s been a huge help overall, obviously with abilities but also in the wide receiver room,” Clifford said about Fleming. “He’s making everyone better — pushing myself and the other guys in the room. He’s been a big addition, for sure.”

Clifford isn’t the only one who’s described Fleming in that way. Wide receivers coach Marques Hagans described him as a teammate who pushes other players and prioritizes the team first. This adds to James Franklin’s desire for competition at every position, and he seeks players who are eager for that challenge.

“He’s showing up every day prepared, working hard, putting the team first, and it’s been fun to watch those guys compete against each other and work to get better,” Hagans said.