Penn State Football: Hackenberg Named No. 36 On List Of Top 100 Players

Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg continues to bring in preseason honors coming in at No. 36 in a thorough list of the nation’s top 100 players compiled by SportsOnEarth.com. Hackenberg was the only Nittany Lion to make the list although offensive tackle Donovan Smith was mentioned by Sports On Earth as one of the last players to miss the cut.

Here is what SOE’s Matt Brown had to say about the sophomore signal caller.

Hackenberg was exactly the type of quarterback scouts pegged him to be out of high school — a bit uneven at times, but tremendous arm strength and the ability to develop into a dominant pocket passer. What was most impressive about his freshman season was his poise and command of the Penn State offense, which really set him apart. Hackenberg completed 58.9 percent of his passes for 2,955 yards with 20 touchdowns and 10 picks, getting better as the year went on, playing his best game (339 yards, four TDs) in an upset win at Wisconsin to end the season.

With O’Brien gone, along with star wideout Allen Robinson, plus a very thin offensive line aside from Donovan Smith, Hackenberg faces some major hurdles as a sophomore. Based on what we’ve seen so far, though, he’s the type of quarterback who will make everyone around him look better.

Things ought to be a little tougher for Hackenberg this season but if he and his receivers and offensive line can all get on the same page, there is no reason Hackenberg can’t continue to build on an already impressive career.

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Penn State Football: Part I, Q&A with Quarterback Christian Hackenberg