Penn State offensive lineman Cooper Cousins is up for the nation’s top award for a first-year player. On Wednesday, Cousins was named as one of 37 candidates for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award watch list.
The 6-foot-6, 316-pound Cousins is expected to be a significant contributor on the Nittany Lions’ interior line this season. He was one of two freshmen that James Franklin “green lighted” to burn his redshirt, and could see time at both center and guard.
Given the difficulty of seeing the field as a freshman offensive lineman, Cousins was one of only five blockers named to the watch list; the others being Colorado’s Jordan Seaton, LSU’s DJ Chester, Miami’s Samson Okunlola and USC’s Elijah Page.
The Nittany Lions’ offensive line has no shortage of depth, and despite his age, Cousins presented himself as a weapon too advanced for Franklin to pass on. It’s highly likely Cousins makes his collegiate debut at West Virginia on Saturday.
“A lot of guys say they want to play as a true freshman. But they’re not willing to do necessarily what it takes,” Franklin said. “And the guy is either in class or in the building and asking a ton of questions. He’s super aggressive. He’s not intimidated or afraid of anybody.”
