Who Posted Penn State's Best Numbers in Offseason Testing?

Coach James Franklin called the 2021 team his biggest, strongest and fastest. Here are the testing numbers.

Penn State coach James Franklin often highlights his team's offseason strength-and-conditioning gains, particularly since his players have torn up the NFL Combine and Pro Days recently. This year, Franklin has been even more glowing with his praise.

"Our strength staff did a great job in terms of preparing our guys," Franklin said in August as training camp began. "We’re bigger, stronger and faster than we've ever been. We're part of the argument pretty much in every category or metric [of testing numbers]."

Certainly, Penn State strength coach Dwight Galt has generated a national reputation for his players' combine and Pro Day performances and their inclusion in Bruce Feldman's annual college football "freaks" list. Further, a growing number of players (including a contingent of walk-ons) are putting up eye-popping numbers in testing.

Penn State's football media guide lists the top performances from the 2021 winter testing period, which align with expectations on the field. Of course, power cleans and triple broad jumps don't translate directly into better football. But the numbers suggest that Penn State will field an athletic roster for the 2021 season.

With that in mind, here's a look at some of the highlights from offseason testing.

Penn State has some athletic safeties

Preseason All-American Jaquan Brisker certainly earned his "freak" status, leading the safeties in the pro-agility run (4.07 seconds), broad jump (10 feet), triple broad jump (32-5) and the power clean (315 pounds).

But don't overlook potential starter Ji'Ayir Brown, who led all safeties in strength index (666) and squat (535), or Tyler Rudolph (36.5 vertical jump).

Cornerbacks, too

The secondary is among Penn State's strongest units for a reason. The cornerbacks also tested well. Senior Tariq Castro-Fields led the corners in the power clean (300) and tied for the best broad jump (10-9), while returning starter Joey Porter Jr. had the best triple broad jump (33). And Daequan Hardy posted a memorable vertical jump (36.5).

Linebacker Brandon Smith is ready

Smith has shown his athleticism, particularly his tackling strength, over the past two years and appears to be reaching another level this season. Smith (6-3, 239 pounds) led the linebackers in four categories: pro agility (4.25), vertical jump (36 inches), broad jump (10-5) and triple broad jump (32-4). He'll turn those traits loose playing Penn State's Will linebacker position.

The running backs stand out individually

Each of Penn State's talented returning backs carved a spot on the positional leaderboard:

• Noah Cain: top bench press (360)
• Devyn Ford: top pro agility (4.28), power clean (300) and strength index (643)
• Caziah Holmes: top broad jump (10-3)
• Keyvone Lee: top vertical jump (32-5) and squat (525)

Penn State is loaded with athletic tight ends

Franklin noted this recently, calling his tight ends "the best I've been around in 25 years of football."

Brenton Strange, Theo Johnson and Tyler Warren each have their strengths:

• Brenton Strange: top bench (380) and strength index (658).
• Theo Johnson: top pro agility (4.17), vertical jump (33-5), broad jump (10-4) and triple broad jump (31-1).
• Tyler Warren: top power clean (335) and squat (545).

Who are the most athletic defensive linemen?

• Hakeem Beamon led the tackles in pro agility (4.44), vertical jump (10-1) and triple broad jump (32-8).
• Fatorma Mulbah led the tackles in the bench (410) and squat (630).
• Smith Vilbert, a redshirt sophomore end to watch, led his position group in the vertical jump (36.5) and triple broad jump (32-5).
• Nick Tarburton had the highest bench (375) among ends.
• Adisa Isaac, likely out for the season, recorded the best broad jump (10-2) among ends.

What about the offensive linemen?

• Guard Des Holmes: top bench (425)
• Guard Juice Scruggs: top pro agility (4.58) and vertical jump (29).
• Tackle Caedan Wallace: top broad jump (9-2) and triple broad jump (28-2)
• Guard Sal Wormley: top power clean (325).

Penn State recruits athletic walk-ons

Some of the Lions' most athletic players are walk-ons, notably quarterback Mason Stahl, who won his position room handily with the top pro agility (4.15), vertical jump (31-5), broad jump (9-10), triple broad jump (31-5), power clean 290), squat (490) and strength index (660).

Here are some other notable walk-ons:

• Robbie Dwyer led the linebackers in power clean (340), bench (395), squat (585) and strength index (703).
• Vlad Hilling is the strongest kicker, with the top power clean (285), bench (335), squat (465) and strength index (603).
• Kaleb Konigus led the offensive linemen in the squat (605) and strength index (672).
• Benjamin Wilson paced the receivers in the vertical jump (36-5), broad jump (10-6) and power clean (335).

Read more

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How Penn State found John Lovett and Arnold Ebiketie in the transfer portal

Why Penn State expects to field a dominant offensive line this season