Penn State Football Position Preview: Wide Receiver
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With Spring Practice in the rearview mirror and with fall camp only a handful of weeks away, we begin our Summer position preview series here at BSD. Today, we look at the Wide Receiver room, a spot of consternation the last few seasons in Happy Valley.
The Starters
No. 0 Chase Sowell (Redshirt senior)
He’s the definition of well traveled, having already played at Colorado, ECU, and, most recently for Matt Campbell, at Iowa State. Last year with the Cyclones, Sowell earned all-conference honorable mention honors and was the league’s offensive newcomer of the year. This came because of his 32 catches for 500 yards, good enough for 15.9 yards per catch. He was a big play threat at ECU, having seven catches of at least 40 yards in the 2024 season on his way to 678 receiving yards.
No. 6 Koby Howard (Sophomore)
Howard made a name for himself quickly after hitting Happy Valley last year. The highly touted recruit made his way to the field early, though his usage was limited. For the year with Penn State, Howard played in nine games and started four games – all with Terry Smith as head coach. He finished the season with seven catches for 133 yards, modest overall numbers. But, his big-play potential was evident as he averaged 19.1 yards per catch.
No. 4 Brett Eskildsen (Junior)
One of Iowa State’s top targets last year, he earned all-conference honorable mention and caught 30 passes for 526 yards. Eskildsen had eight catches of better than 25 yards, but missed this spring in Happy Valley with injury. He figures to once again be a top target for Rocco Becht.
In the Mix
No. 84 Peter Gonzalez (Redshirt Sophomore)
The former 3-star recruit has battled injuries since arriving in State College. After two seasons, he’s yet to set foot on the field following a record-setting career at Pittsburgh Central Catholic. Still, he was a touted recruit and figures to be a piece presuming he stays healthy.
No. 15 Keith Jones Jr. (Redshirt Sophomore)
Jones is an interesting transfer, having played at Grambling where he accumulated 32 catches for 450 yards, more than 14 yards per catch, last season for the Tigers.
No. 11 Lyrick Samuel (Redshirt freshman)
The four-star recruit stuck around Happy Valley following his redshirt season. He is viewed as a physically impressive recruit who was going to take time to adjust to the college game. His development will be worth following this fall.
No. 8 Karon Brookins (Redshirt freshman)
Brookins didn’t play in any games at Iowa State last year, but his following Campbell and company to State College is a sign that he’s a young player the staff feels they can develop.
No. 2 Zay Robinson (Redshirt freshman)
Similar story to Brookins, Robinson did get on the field a little bit last season for the Cyclones, playing in three games and recording a catch against Oklahoma State. The former standout high school basketball player will hope his athleticism translates to the Big Ten.
Depth Pieces
No. 82 Ethan Black (Redshirt junior)
Black has not recorded any offensive stats, but he’s been a special teams player in his time in State College.
No. 81 Ben Whitver (Freshman)
The Virginia native was a late signee to Campbell’s first class. He recorded nearly 1,000 yards receiving as a senior.
No. 31 Logan Cunningham (Redshirt senior)
Wearing the same number as former star receiver Freddie Scott, Cunningham has yet to appear in any games. He played at Division III Marietta before walking on at Penn State.
No. 19 Amarion Jackson (Freshman)
The recruit out of Nebraska had more than 3,000 yards during his prep career.
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