James Franklin Gives Update on Usage for 5-Star Freshman Tight End Luke Reynolds

 

Penn State has not had a shortage of talent at tight end during James Franklin’s tenure, seeing four starting tight ends selected on day two of the NFL Draft over the past eight years. Luke Reynolds seems primed to continue that chain.

Even with talent leaving seemingly yearly to the NFL, Penn State and tight ends coach Ty Howle have stockpiled talent at the position in State College. The latest addition to the tight end room, however, is one of the highest rated prospects to come into the Penn State room during the James Franklin era.

Behind returning starting tight end Tyler Warren, former five-star tight end Luke Reynolds is set to battle for playing time with junior Khalil Dinkins, redshirt freshman Joey Schlaffer, redshirt freshman Andrew Rappleyea, and redshirt sophomore Jerry Cross.

Outside of Warren, Dinkins is the only member of the Penn State tight end room with a career reception, catching nine passes over the last two seasons for the Nittany Lions for 110 yards and three touchdowns behind Warren and New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson as Penn State’s TE3.

Franklin noted Tuesday that Penn State has “great competition at the tight end position” so far through camp.

Despite Reynolds‘ heralded recruiting status, the competition at the position at Penn State and the rest of the talent in the Nittany Lions‘ tight end room presents a tall order for the true freshman to earn meaningful playing time in year one on campus.

Franklin reiterated that Reynolds will “be a really good player here [at Penn State]” but was non-committal on Reynolds status on the depth chart for the fall.

In discussing the competition at tight end, Franklin noted that Reynolds will play “at least” the four games allowed under the redshirt rule this fall and the competition with the rest of the tight end room will determine whether Reynolds will play more regularly in the tight end rotation beyond those four games.

“He’s gonna be a really good player here,” James Franklin said of TE Luke Reynolds. “Got great competition at the right end position.”

Says Reynolds will play four games at least this season.

— Audrey Snyder (@audsnyder4) August 13, 2024

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