Penn State Football: Five Veterans Who Will Be Key to Success in 2024

The Nittany Lions return a seasoned roster from a 10-win team. These players will help them take the next step.

Penn State safety Jaylen Reed reacts after intercepting a pass and returning it 17 yards against Indiana during the 2023 season. / Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK

Penn State opens training camp soon, marking a significant period for players competing in position battles and for coaches charting the Week 1 depth chart. While most underclassmen still have something to prove, many veteran players have showcased their abilities throughout the years and are poised to become mainstays in 2024.

Coach James Franklin has yet to announce his program’s captains for the 2024 season, but with an extensive pool of vocal leaders, the Nittany Lions should be in good hands by the start of camp. Here are five veteran players all fans should know as the season nears the Aug. 31 opener at West Virginia.

Kobe King

At middle linebacker, Kobe King is likely to take on the role of Penn State’s defensive quarterback. King’s 59 tackles last season were two shy of the team high, and his coaches expect King to increase that tally this fall. With three-year starter Curtis Jacobs off to the NFL, King is the clear leader in the Nittany Lions’ linebacker room and should produce at a high level in 2024.

Nick Dawkins

Offensive line coach Phil Trautwein rejuvenated Penn State’s front line in recent years, particularly by building and developing depth at all five positions. Nick Dawkins, a reserve center over the past four seasons, has waited patiently for his opportunity to start, and his moment arrives this year. 

Dawkins is set to enter camp as the starting center, though freshman phenom Cooper Cousins will provide competition. Regardless of what ensues, Dawkins has solidified himself as a vocal leader on offense and should see an increase in playing time.

“Dawkins is a guy that the staff and the players have a ton of respect for,” Franklin has said. “He's done things the right way since he got on campus. He's one of our more natural charismatic leaders. He's super smart. He's articulate and I think he's really a team-first guy, so he has kept working and waited for the opportunity to present itself. And it has, and he's run with it.

“I think he's a really good example for a lot of players in our program, that if you keep a really good attitude and work hard and prepare yourself, at some point an opportunity is going to present itself and you got to take advantage of it.”

Penn State offensive lineman Nick Dawkins participates in the tug-of-war during the annual Lift For Life charity event at Holuba Hall. / Dan Rainville/USA Today Network - PA /

Harrison Wallace III

The Nittany Lions desperately need a player to step up at wide receiver, and Franklin has suggested that someone is Harrison Wallace III. Injuries derailed Wallace’s 2023 campaign, which was expected to be a breakout year for the veteran pass-catcher. With last season’s No. 1 receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith at Auburn, Wallace (if he stays healthy) is likely to become one of quarterback Drew Allar’s favorite targets.

"Having Tre back is something that the offense needs,” Allar said at the Peach Bowl. “I think he brings a lot of positivity to that room. He’s a very consistent receiver. Obviously we all know he’s a very explosive receiver vertically and he just brings a great work ethic to that room again now that he’s back and healthy.”

Jaylen Reed

With a full year in the starting lineup under his belt, safety Jaylen Reed has defined himself as a leader in Penn State’s secondary. But this year could bring a new role for the senior safety. He’s a likely candidate to play the in-the-box ‘Lion’ position, which defensive coordinator Tom Allen brought with him from Indiana.

Cam Miller

After a taste of the spotlight as a starter in the Peach Bowl, Cam Miller has the potential to lead the team’s cornerback unit, which lost three starters this offseason. Miller spent the past year on Penn State’s leadership council and should hold a similar role in 2024.

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Seth Engle has covered Penn State football and men’s basketball for the past four years, most recently serving as the football editor of the Daily Collegian. His work has appeared in the Associated Press, Philadelphia Inquirer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PennLive, Centre Daily Times and more. Follow him on X (or Twitter) @bigsengtweets.