ATLANTA — For all of the change that has taken place around Penn State football over the past 10 years, one of the things which has remained a constant is quality tight end play. The Nittany Lions have produced three currently active NFL players at the position, giving Penn State another developmental feather in its cap and another selling point for young tight end prospects around the nation.
Of course, as Theo Johnson gets set to play his last game at Penn State before transitioning his focus toward the draft process, it once again acts as a reminder that player development is an ongoing process. You’re only as good as the players on your rosters, no matter how high the last ones were just drafted or how long they’ve played in the NFL.
The loss of Johnson isn’t a five-alarm problem though — the return of Tyler Warren gives Penn State plenty of stability on that front. Warren was a consistent threat for Penn State in the red zone in particular last year, hauling down seven touchdown passes to lead the Nittany Lions. Johnson may have recorded three more receptions and 30 more yards, but Warren was arguably as reliable – if not more so.
And behind Warren there is a bevy of young options, chief among them the duo of Jerry Cross and Khalil Dinkins. Cross did not record a catch this season, but Dinkins showed flashes in limited action, pulling down four catches and two touchdowns over five games of playing time.
“They’ve done some really good stuff,” Penn State tight ends coach Ty Howle said on Wednesday. “They’ve been developing now for a couple years and they’ve been able to be around the guys that are in the room that are very seasoned and see the way they do things. And I think both of them have gotten much better in the run game and [with their] overall football IQ because that’s obviously a big part of it … so being able to gain that knowledge and learn has been a big, big thing that they’ve grown in.”
Even though he might be leaving and focusing on the future, Johnson is excited to see what the duo can bring to the table alongside Warren’s more established contributions. Those three could be the primary weapons in 2024, but the arrival of five-star prospect Luke Reynolds is another wrinkle to consider, and a testament to Penn State’s growing reputation as legitimate landing spot for high-end tight end talent.
But rewind a bit, back to the days when Johnson and his now former teammate Brenton Strange made their debuts at Penn State. Things were different then — the COVID-19 season was unique — but it was also a nice way to ease into the role.
“I remember being a freshman, especially coming from Canada. I never really played in big time football before,” Johnson recalled. “It was definitely a little bit of a shock for me. But we’re in COVID. There’s nobody in the stands so I had a somewhat of an easy transition into college football. And then by the time the next year when people were there. It’s kind of like I’ve been doing this, I feel comfortable with it.”
As for Johnson’s potential successors not named Tyler Warren? You might just see them on Saturday in the Peach Bowl against Ole Miss.
“They’re both young guys and coming along and they’re both gonna see action in this game,” Johnson said. “And I’m really looking forward to seeing what they do with their opportunity. Those guys have worked really hard behind the scenes and a lot of people don’t see that because they don’t kind of get the recognition that you know, kind of me and Tyler get, but all the younger guys I think are gonna have opportunities in this game.
“And that’s something I’ve kind of told them all week in practice is like, you just got to make sure that you have no regrets when your opportunity comes because it’s gonna come, you’re gonna be on TV, and it’s gonna help you, you know, kind of spring forward and give you momentum in this offseason or it’s gonna hurt you. So I’m really looking forward to what all these guys can do. I’m kind of excited for them. I’m looking forward to see what’s gonna happen.”
So no worries, Penn State’s tight end room is still in good hands.
