Through the first two games of the 2015 Penn State Nittany Lion Football season we have seen five true freshmen earn playing time. These five players are running back Saquon Barkley, wide receiver Brandon Polk, cornerback John Reid, and linebackers Jake Cooper and Manny Bowen. Playing too many freshmen is usually a bad thing for a team, because it typically means there are depth issues. However, a handful of freshmen, like we are seeing this season, are usually looked to for an immediate impact.
When people look at Penn State’s 2016 recruiting class people will probably identify the top 100 prospects such as defensive end Shane Simmons, running back Miles Sanders, offensive lineman Michal Menet, or cornerback Lavert Hill as players who can make an impact as a true freshman in 2016.