At Penn State, Julian Fleming Began His Second Act With a Smash

The receiver re-introduced himself to Nittany Lions fans with a memorable commercial. He wants to make the same impact on the field.

Penn State wide receiver Julian Fleming runs to the line of scrimmage during the Blue-White Game at Beaver Stadium. / Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports

Julian Fleming began the second act of his football career with a sledgehammer. He stood on the hood of a Toyota Camry, swung into the heart of its windshield and smashed it. Then he proceeded to (pretend) to flip the car and drove a truck onto its hood. All before he took his first rep at Penn State.

It made a great local commercial for one of Penn State football's primary sponsors and a smart NIL deal for the new Penn State receiver. Further, it helped Fleming reconnect with a fan base he got to know briefly but intensely five years ago, one that watched him leave for Ohio State before returning in January.

"My family saw it and was like, 'That's a little much, don't you think?' And honestly, yeah, it was a little bit much," Fleming said. "But it ended up being a pretty cool commercial. We're trying to figure out ways to do another in the future."

This is the new Fleming, the 6-2, 205-pound wide receiver who wants to reset every expectation he brought to Ohio State as the nation's No. 4 overall recruit in 2020. Fleming says he's healthy after years of injuries, at home not far from home and eager to put together the prove-it season that he knows has trailed him.

"I just felt like I still needed one more,” Fleming said. "I needed one more year to really prove to myself who I am and prove to other people who I am. So that's why I was really excited to come here. And come home."

Home is Catawissa, Pennsylvania, and Southern Columbia High School, where he was the state's Gatorade Player of the Year in 2019. Fleming certainly knew the 90 miles between home and Penn State but instead chose Ohio State, where he spent four uneven seasons fighting various injuries (including to his shoulders) and facing multiple injuries. "I'm as healthy as can be," Fleming said during spring drills.

Upon committing to Penn State out of the transfer portal, Fleming made his first act as a Nittany Lion a commercial. He signed an NIL deal with Blaise Alexander Family Dealerships, a longtime corporate partner of Penn State Athletics and a company with which he's connected. Fleming's grandfather is close with the company's founder, and high school friends work at the dealerships. Plus, the company was willing to let him smash a car.

After that, Fleming made a quieter introduction to Penn State's receivers' room. At 23, he's the oldest player at the position for the Nittany Lions. He's the only one who has been to the College Football Playoff. He's also the only receiver on Penn State's roster with more than six career starts; Fleming started 22 games in four seasons with the Buckeyes.

As a result, Fleming arrived at Penn State to high expectations. "Julian Fleming certainly has a good pedigree coming from that Ohio State room," college football analyst Mike Golic Jr. said in an interview.

Penn State coach James Franklin said that Fleming brought "an element of experience and maturity" to a receivers room that surely needed it. Fleming brought something else that Franklin found tangible.

"The chip was there," Franklin said. "... He's got a lot more to give the game and a program."

But what about on the field? Fleming wasn't necessarily featured in the spring Blue-White Game, catching one pass for 5 yards on three targets. And though he has been on campus since January, Fleming didn't race to the front of Penn State's receiving depth chart.

Franklin repeatedly has pointed to Trey Wallace and Liam Clifford as the take-charge receivers during camp. This week, however, Franklin noted that Fleming has been "really good" of late.

"If you asked him, I'd bet he would say, 'Gosh, I kind of started slow,'" Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki said. "There's a few plays he'd wish he had back. But in the back half [of training camp], he's done a great job."

Fleming might not be the game-breaking receiver Penn State has lacked since Jahan Dotson's final season in 2021, but his value will come elsewhere. He can produce timely plays on the field while preserving the receiving room's presence and focus off it. And remember that chip.

"I wanted to come to a place where I could compete for a championship," Fleming said. "I wanted to come to a place that’s very competitive, and I wanted to come to a place that ultimately fit me well. They welcomed me back with open arms, and it’s been a great process and great decision so far."

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Penn State on SI is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on X (or Twitter) @MarkWogenrich.