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Which Freshmen Already Look Ready to Play for Penn State?

Several first-year Nittany Lions are standing out early in training camp.
Chase Fisher|
Penn State Nittany Lions football players pose for a team photo during the 23rd annual Lift for Life at Holuba Hall.
Penn State Nittany Lions football players pose for a team photo during the 23rd annual Lift for Life at Holuba Hall. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

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Penn State Nittany Lions

STATE COLLEGE | Penn State’s 2026 recruiting class slimmed down dramatically after former head coach James Franklin was fired in October. But new coach Matt Campbell quickly built it back, bringing in a 15-player class (10 of whom committed to him at Iowa State) that ultimately ranked 65th nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite. 

The freshmen class features several players who have caught the eyes of the coaching staff since spring ball. Chief among them are wide receiver Amarion Jackson and defensive end Jackson Ford.

Penn State offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser even offered some head-turning praise about one of the first-years. What did some Nittany Lions’ coaches have to say about certain freshmen during local media day on Friday? We highlighted four who could contribute quickly at Penn State in 2026. 

Wide receiver Amarion Jackson

Freshman receiver Amarion Jackson was a hot name during spring ball, as he earned continuous praise from his coaches and teammates. Mouser cemented him as a must-watch player with this remark he made on Friday. 

“Amarion Jackson's probably, in my 12 years with coach Campbell, is as impressive a freshman that we've had, from the plays that he makes to just who he is every single day and his commitment to the team to do whatever,” Mouser said.

Jackson, a 3-star prospect from Omaha, Nebraska, has played at multiple positions so far during camp. Mouser said the coaching staff has had him in the slot, at the X position and at the Y, a rarity for freshmen receivers who normally focus on one spot. 

He said Jackson can be “coached hard,” “does whatever the team needs” and “never makes excuses.” Mouser said Jackson embraces the tough coaching and “loves and respects you for it.”

“You can yell at that kid and you can hold that kid accountable, and he loves and respects you for it,” Mouser said. “He doesn't get pouty and he doesn't point fingers. So I think from a freshman standpoint, he's been as impressive as a freshman as anybody that I've got to coach.”

Jackson’s been so impressive that all indications point to him playing in a lot of games this year. Mouser said that if the season started tomorrow, he’s absolutely ready to let it loose on the football field. 

“He'll probably be an outside guy for us,” Mouser said. “He's got the perfect mix. He's a 6-2 kid with a 6-5, 6-6 wingspan. He's got all the benefits of being a 6-6 guy without the negatives of being a 6-6 guy. He's not stiff. He can run. He's got length. He's loose, and he plays confident. He understands leverage. He can separate. So he'll be an outside guy for us that will play inside for us in our 12-personnel.”

Defensive end Jackson Ford

Defensive line coach Ikaika Malloe couldn’t stop talking about Ford, a freshman from Pennsylvania who was one of only two players who signed with Penn State in December before Campbell was hired.  

Malloe said Ford “needs to play” and that he’s been one of the better players on the defensive line in drill work. Ford (already 6-4, 264) is physically gifted. He’s a 4-star recruit out of Malvern Prep and was ranked inside the top-30 defensive end prospects in his class.

“We did O-line, D-line, and he stood somebody up easily,” Malloe said. “But then when that carries over to 11-on-11, he's all over the field. He needs some reps to gain confidence that he can really do it. And we prepared him for that. We told him that when you get here, you're gonna second-guess yourself. So you have to go through that motion of, ‘I really can.’ And that kid, I mean, his ceiling. I'm not sure where his ceiling is right now.”

Cornerback Christian Askew

Cornerbacks coach Terry Smith said that, when he evaluates whether a freshman is ready to play, he looks at the player’s ability to be calm. Askew seems to be embodying those traits thus far. 

Smith said that Askew has a “chance to battle for the fourth spot in the room,” high praise at a position that includes returning cornerbacks Audavion Collins, Daryus Dixson, Zion Tracy and Jahmir Joseph.

Askew, from Georgia, was a 3-star prospect in the 2026 class who initially signed with James Madison in December. He also has unique length for a cornerback, standing 6-4 and weighing 199 pounds.

“He had a really good spring and had a good offseason,” Smith said. “The first two days have been really good [of fall camp]. But time is going to tell when the real contact and the real competitions start to take place.”

Punter Lucas Tenbrock

A true freshman from Illinois, Tenbrock initially signed with Iowa State as the nation’s top-ranked punter, according to Chris Sailer Kicking. Tenbrock then followed Campbell to Penn State, where he is competing with Mississippi State transfer Nathan Tiyce for the starting job.

Having enrolled in the summer, Tenbrock has some time to make up. But he’s a big player (6-6, 210 pounds) with a big leg who made a strong first impression on special teams coordinator Justin Lustig.

“I see a lot of similarities to Gabe Nwosu,” Lustig said, comparing Tenbrock to Penn State’s starting punter last year. He’s super-talented with a huge leg, an intelligent kid and a hard worker. He checks all the boxes.”

Tenbrock stands out on the practice field, but Lustig wants to make sure he’s ready to punt in Penn State’s most stressful environment. 

“The challenge is, what is he going to do when he’s in Beaver Stadium?” Lustig said. “That’s just so hard to reproduce. We try to do different things to put them in pressure situations, but nothing is like gameday here. He’ll get some opportunities, and we’ll see how camp plays out. If he ends up as the backup, there will certainly be opportunities. But if he’s ready to go, he’s ready to go in Game 1.”

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Chase Fisher
CHASE FISHER

Chase Fisher is a student at Penn State University who has covered men's hockey and baseball for The Daily Collegian. He is covering football for Penn State on SI. Follow him on X @chase_fisher4.

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