Penn State football is just around the corner, and with high expectations for this year’s campaign, fans all around Happy Valley will be expecting stellar performances from their squad.

With a deep and talented roster, the 2024 Nittany Lions have a plethora of individuals ready to terrorize opponents come game day, both on display in national watchlists and patiently lurking in preseason obscurity.

With the first game only a few days away, our staffers decided to delve into the Nittany Lion roster to predict who might be the brightest star come the end of the season.

Mitch Corcoran: Offensive Coordinator Andy Kotelnicki

I think the Penn State football MVP will be Drew Allar Andy Kotelnicki.

This team will go as far as Drew Allar takes them and that was evident last season. Penn State, perhaps, had the best defense in college football and they still went 10-3. Allar struggled in all three big games and if he played better, all three of those games were winnable because of the defense.
I think the defense will be one of the top squads in the country again, but will Allar be better? I say the answer is yes because of Andy Kotelnicki.

I think Kotelnicki’s offense is very quarterback-friendly and he’s been successful everywhere he’s coached. Allar has the skill set to be a great quarterback, but someone just has to tap into that potential. I think Kotelnicki can and will.

Dillon Williams: Defensive End Abdul Carter

Abdul Carter initially started his journey at Penn State as an off-ball linebacker, but this season he has converted to being an edge rusher. Some may be worried about Carter’s transition, but much like Micah Parsons before him, I believe he’ll excel at the position.

Parsons and Carter share similar frames with both standing at 6’3″, but Carter is a reported 13 pounds heavier than Parsons at 258 pounds. With his combination of speed and raw power, Carter will explode for a season with 10+ sacks and 12+ tackles for loss, leading Penn State to its first College Football Playoff.

Jack Scott: Running Back Nick Singleton

Maybe this is College Football 25 corrupting my vision, but Nick Singleton is too explosive not to be in this conversation. Sure, he’s in a tandem situation with fellow junior Kaytron Allen, but they don’t call it a two-headed monster for nothing. While Allen smashes forward, whittling down opposing defenses, Singleton has been the provider of chunk plays for an offense that has notably struggled to be explosive these past two years.

Last year might have been labeled a disappointment by the national media, but as Singleton’s role shifted from a strict rushing back to a more well-rounded receiving threat, his all-purpose yards didn’t dip. I believe that this expands his usability immensely and should grant him extra chances to do what he does best: explode in open space for more chunk yards.

Ben Rosenbaum: Wide Receiver Trey Wallace

I think Trey Wallace will have a major progression next year and start to solidify himself as a star wide receiver. With losing last year’s top receiver KeAndre Lambert Smith, my prediction is that Wallace will fill in the top wide receiver role and do well for the team this year.

Michael Siroty: Tight End Tyler Warren

The wide receivers room has been a concern for Penn State football in recent memory, and that narrative hasn’t changed heading into this season. After tight end Tyler Warren had a solid campaign last year and Theo Johnson left for the NFL, I expect Warren to step up as Drew Allar’s top receiving threat and become the Nittany Lions’ MVP.

CJ Doebler: Wide Receiver Trey Wallace

After the year Trey Wallace had last season, I think that the wide receiver is going to be the best player on the Nittany Lions this season. Wallace appeared in only eight games last year and spent two separate stints on the injury report but despite missing time, he recorded 19 receptions for 228 yards and a touchdown.

If Wallace stays healthy this season, he’s going to have a large impact on a wide receiver group that James Franklin says has taken some significant steps forward through preseason camp. An air attack was what was missing last year, and if Wallace can become a consistent target at the wide receiver spot, he’ll be the Nittany Lions’ MVP.

Aidan Conrad: Defensive End Abdul Carter

Like many others, I am very high on Abdul Carter heading into this season. Carter showed his effectiveness as a pass rusher his first two seasons at outside linebacker but this offseason it was announced he’ll be playing defensive end for his junior season. This position change leads me to believe he’s in store for a monster season.

Nolan Wick: Tight End Tyler Warren

This one is bold, and I’m thinking outside the box here. Tyler Warren is going to be the glue that holds Penn State’s offense together.

Warren, a senior, has been solid every season. He’s gotten more productive each year, having more receptions, yards, and touchdowns than every previous season.

In 2023, Warren had 422 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, and it’s important to note that he outplayed now-New York Giant Theo Johnson, who was expected to see more reps entering the campaign. With nobody likely to come anywhere close to splitting reps with Warren, who knows what his numbers could be this season? Keep in mind that he’ll be relied upon even more given the uncertain state of the wide receiver room.

A reliable tight end can be very beneficial to any quarterback, and Drew Allar has talked repeatedly about how good his chemistry is with the group. All of these factors are why Warren will be an integral part of Andy Kotelnicki’s system, and why he’ll provide a massive boost for the Nittany Lions in 2024.

Joe Lister: Wide Receiver Trey Wallace’s Doctor

I have no doubt that Trey Wallace is a talented wide receiver. Had he not gotten hurt last year, he likely would’ve taken over as Penn State’s top wideout option for KeAndre Lambert-Smith. Who knows what Drew Allar could’ve done with a strong wide receiver corps?

The question isn’t if Wallace is talented. It’s whether or not he can stay healthy. Penn State’s College Football Playoff hopes may rest completely in Wallace’s doctor.