Midseason PFF grades & snap counts for Penn State’s offensive players
Penn State is off to a 5-0 start this season and ranked sixth in the nation in both major polls. James Franklin and his staff have to be happy with the early season results. However, with games against Ohio State and Michigan still to come, there’s plenty the Nittany Lions can improve on as well.
So, how have Penn State’s players performed so far according to Pro Football Focus? We put together midseason grades for each offensive player below.
Penn State Offense (Total Snaps: 408)
Quarterback
NamePass PlaysRun PlaysTotalOverall GradePassing GradeDrew Allar17316533890.286.9Beau Pribula15535875.666.5Jaxon Smolik02260.0N/A
– Allar’s grade of 90.2 ranks second in the Big Ten conference behind only Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy (91.2). Maryland’s Taulia Tagovailoa is third with a grade of 89.1. After him, there’s a big drop off among Big Ten’s starting quarterbacks with Wisconsin’s Tanner Mordecai ranked fourth with a grade of 79.1. Ohio State’s Kyle McCord has a grade of 67.1, ranking ninth among Big Ten starters.
– When compared to all Power Five quarterbacks, there have been 61 QBs who have dropped back to pass 100 times or more through the first five games. Allar’s grade of 90.2 ranks 11th. Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. leads all Power Five QBs with a passing grade of 93.4. Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke (93.3) and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders (92.9) round out the top three.
Running Back
NamePass PlaysRun PlaysTotalOverall GradeRushing GradeNicholas Singleton10810020866.2 67.1Kaytron Allen739116473.778.4Trey Potts21517264.766.8Tank Smith31777.974.0Tyler Holzworth22450.155.7
– In the Big Ten, 25 running backs have carried the ball at least 30 times through the first five games. Allen has a rushing grade of 78.4, which ranks seventh, while Singleton’s rushing grade of 67.1 ranks 19th. Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen leads the conference with a rushing grade of 87.7.
– Across all Power Five schools, 119 running backs have carried the ball 30 times or more this season. Allen’s rushing grade is ranked 39th, while Singleton is ranked No. 101. USC’s MarShawn Lloyd leads Power Five RBs with a grade of 91.8.
Fitz: Five committed prospects Penn State hopes to get on campus this fall
Wide Receiver
NamePass PlaysRun PlaysTotalOverall GradeReceiving GradeKeAndre Lambert-Smith15112427577.779.4Liam Clifford805113163.963.6Dante Cephas626712957.558.1Harrison Wallace535711067.468.0Malik McClain525710961.159.3Omari Evans396910852.951.2Kaden Saunders16385466.867.2Cristian Driver3192258.558.8Jason Estrella2171958.1N/AMalick Meiga18978.674.2
– In the Big Ten, 38 receivers have been targeted 15 times or more through the first five games. Lambert-Smith ranks second with a receiving grade of 79.4. Cephas is the only other Penn State receiver who fits that category and is ranked 33rd. Michigan’s Roman Wilson leads the conference with a grade of 89.1.
– Lambert-Smith is tied for fourth in the conference in total targets with 35. He’s second in the conference in receptions with 25.
– At the Power Five level, 195 receivers have been targeted 15 times or more. Lambert-Smith is ranked No. 21 nationally, while Cephas is ranked No. 181. Missouri’s Luther Burden leads all Power Five WRs with a 93.3 receiving grade.
Tight End
NamePass PlaysRun PlaysTotalOverall GradeReceiving GradeRun Blocking GradeTheo Johnson13414027451.756.750.5Tyler Warren12213025264.665.263.5Khalil Dinkins20547452.153.254.3Andrew Rappleyea1101160.4N/A59.5Jerry Cross26853.3N/A53.2
– In the Big Ten, 14 tight ends have been targeted 10 times or more. Warren leads Penn State with 18 targets. His overall grade of 64.6 ranks ninth. Johnson has 16 targets and ranks 12th with an overall grade of 51.7. Maryland TE Corey Dyches leads the Big Ten with an overall grade of 76.9.
– At the Power Five level, there are 58 tight ends who have been targeted 10 times or more. Warren is ranked No. 27, while Johnson is ranked No. 54. Georgia’s Brock Bowers leads all tight ends by a wide margin with an 89.2 overall grade. Arkansas’ Luke Hasz is second with a 77.9.
Link: Penn State has three players in latest PFF 2024 NFL first-round mock draft
Offensive Line
NamePass PlaysRun PlaysTotalOverall GradePass Blocking GradeRun Blocking GradeHunter Nourzad16016132169.163.269.1Olu Fashanu15515230774.592.961.8Caedan Wallace15314529863.873.658.4Sal Wormley15214129355.341.952.6Vega Ioane10413624065.477.663.8JB Nelson11512023553.765.051.3Drew Shelton568614254.849.555.0Nick Dawkins28598768.982.364.7J’ven Williams7334053.078.751.0Anthony Donkoh7334061.677.564.6Dominic Rulli3232660.473.059.4Chimdy Onoh0111138.8N/A39.4
– In the Big Ten, 64 offensive linemen have totaled 200 snaps or more. When comparing overall grades, Fashanu ranks seventh, Nourzad ranks 20th, Ioane ranks 29th, Wallace ranks 36th, Wormley ranks 56th and Nelson ranks 59th. Michigan’s Zak Zinter is the top Big Ten lineman currently with an overall grade of 82.1. The Wolverines have three of the top five, with Drake Nugent second and Karsen Barnhart fifth.
– Fashanu has the best pass-blocking grade among those 64 Big Ten linemen with a grade of 92.9. Ioane is ranked 14th with Wallace ranked 23rd. Wormley, Nelson and Nourzad all rank in the 40-45 range.
– Penn State’s run-blocking grades are significantly lower, with only Nourzad ranking in the top half at No. 16 with a grade of 69.1.
– Among Power Five schools, 310 linemen have played 200 snaps or more. Fashanu’s overall grade has him ranked No. 38 nationally, with Nourzad also among the Top 100 at No. 97. Ioane is ranked No. 143, followed by Wallace (No. 168), Wormley (No. 279) and Nelson (No. 287). Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga has the top overall grade of 88.0.
– Fashanu’s pass-blocking grade is also the highest among those 310 Power Five linemen.
The post Midseason PFF grades & snap counts for Penn State’s offensive players appeared first on On3.
