Update, September 1

Penn State football wide receiver Ben Whitver was driving the wrong way on E. Calder Way when an officer pulled the 19-year-old freshman over and detected a strong smell of marijuana and noticed bloodshot eyes, according to the filed criminal complaint by the State College Police Department.

The officer performed a field sobriety test and Whitver performed “unsatisfactorily.” Whitver then agreed to a blood draw, which was performed at Mount Nittany Medical Center.

The lab result found a “BAC level of 0.020 gram% ethyl alcohol”, as well as a positive test for Delta-9 THC.

“We are aware of the charges against Ben Whitver. These alleged actions do not reflect the values and standards of our program and have been addressed pursuant to applicable Penn State policies and procedures,” Penn State football said in a statement to Onward State.

Original Story

Penn State football wide receiver Ben Whitver has been charged with driving under the influence in Centre County on Monday, court records show.

Whitver faces two charges of driving under the influence — one alleging a Schedule I drug was detected in his blood and another alleging the presence of a controlled-substance metabolite.

Whitver was also charged with driving the wrong way. All three counts are first offenses and occurred on July 11.

The preliminary hearing is set for September 30 at 8:30 a.m., four days after Penn State opens the Big Ten season against Wisconsin.

The Powhatan, Virginia, native was charged in Centre County in April 2026 for driving with headphones in. Whitver pleaded guilty to the traffic offense.

The freshman wide receiver joined the Nittany Lions after he decommitted from JMU. His commitment came minutes after Penn State beat Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl.

At the time of his commitment, Whitver was listed as the No. 28 player in Virginia, No. 143 wide receiver, and No. 1,007 player nationally, per 247Sports composite rankings.

Whitver native ended his high school career with 3,501 receiving yards and 35 touchdowns on 209 receptions. He also added 171 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, per his MaxPreps profile.

Penn State football did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publishing.