Penn State Football: Top-25 players of the James Franklin Era
By Brad Weiss
![Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/437b9fda9bb97b7bb35f667242368cbc816d60ba1f4f4842849965d6771bfe17.jpg)
Penn State Football: Top-25 players of the James Franklin Era
2. player. 806. . Wide Receiver. Nittany Lions . Chris Godwin
In the history of the Penn State football program, there are a few wide receivers who had the kind of impact that Chris Godwin had during his time at the school. Starting 13 games as a freshman for James Franklin in 2014, Godwin hauled 26 passes for 338 yards and two touchdowns, a small glimpse of what he would do the following season.
During the 2015 campaign, Godwin was nearly unstoppable, grabbing 69 passes for over 1,100 yards and five touchdowns, while racking up 100+ yards in five games. He finished that season with 133 yards in the TaxSlayer Bowl, and as he entered his final season and Happy Valley, he would draw a ton of double coverages.
Still, he was able to put together another outstanding 2016 campaign, as he nearly racked up 1,000 receiving yards once again, and found the end zone 11 times. He had a tremendous three-year run at the school and is currently fourth in school history in receiving yards with 2,404, and touchdowns receptions.
Godwin would go on to be drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and this past February, he won his first Super Bowl ring when the Bucs defeated the Kansas City Chiefs.