Penn State Begins Safety Shuffle After ‘Long-Term’ K.J. Winston Injury

While the definition of “long-term” in “long-term injury” isn’t crystal clear from Penn State football coach James Franklin, the Nittany Lions could ill-afford the one Franklin announced on Wednesday.

Junior safety K.J. Winston joined redshirt freshman Andrew Rappleyea with that designation, and the presumption is, that neither player will be back in 2024.

The same was said about redshirt freshman quarterback Jaxon Smolik, who is also expected to miss all of the ‘24 season.

In the past, Franklin has said he won’t comment on injuries unless they are season-ending, and he has now shifted to using the “long-term” designation without committing to players’ seasons being over.

Where Penn State Football Goes From Here Without K.J. Winston

Penn State Football, K.J. Winston — Penn State’s KJ Winston Jr. (2) brings down West Virginia’s Jahiem White in the first half of an NCAA football game, Saturday, August 31, 2024, in Morgantown, W. Va.

So, out goes Winston the week of Penn State’s final non-conference game against Kent State, which opens the competition this week to be the next man up in his absence.

But first thing, Winston takes a tough blow at a time where he was in a leadership role. He was making a huge difference on the defense, and was in position to be a high pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

“I don’t think it impacts leadership a whole lot because he’s still going to be heavily involved there,” Franklin said about Winston.

Winston has a potential first-round package of skills and athletic attributes, so his decision-making process will be worth monitoring for all kinds of reasons, including a potential impact on the 2025 roster.

Zakee Wheatley and Jaylen Reed are both fixtures on the back end of Tom Allen’s defense anyway, but the mix-and-match possibilities are still being explored, Franklin said after Wednesday’s practice.

Penn State Football, Tom Allen — Penn State Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Tom Allen (Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports)

Franklin has mentioned true freshman Dejuan Lane on several occasions as a player the Lions wanted to bring up to speed, and he was the first name out of Franklin’s mouth on Wednesday.

“We’ve talked a decent amount about De De Lane, so that’ll have a huge impact on him and the reps he’s getting and where he’s at,” Franklin said. “Then we’re trying to figure out that next guy right now. There’s a ton of guys that are going to get some opportunities, but we have not figured that out yet.”

Franklin mentioned a potential move from cornerback to safety for true freshman Antoine Belgrave-Shorter, a former three-star prospect in the 2024 class now listed at 6-feet-0 and 195 pounds. The Lions also have redshirt senior Tyrece Mills, redshirt freshman Lamont Payne Jr. and true freshman Vaboue Toure in the mix at safety.

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In terms of direct impact on games ahead, the flexibility coordinator Tom Allen enjoyed by moving Reed to the LION position might have to be scaled back until the new pecking order shakes out.

“You guys saw what he did against West Virginia playing that spot,” Franklin said about Reed. “It was a great position for him, but we may not have the flexibility to be able to do it. Early on, you’re probably going to see him high, but hopefully, De De and others start to come on. Hopefully, as the year goes on, we can move him back into that spot.”

Winston is listed as the No. 37 player in CBS Sports’ early rankings for the 2025 NFL Draft. He sits behind teammate Abdul Carter on that list at No. 14 and just ahead of Dani Dennis-Sutton at No. 38.

Winston had 13 tackles and a forced fumble in two games this season, bringing his career numbers to 90 total stops, 3.5 TFLs, six passes defended and one interception in 27 games.