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Penn State Football: position battles still up for grabs following spring practice

By Nick Kreiser

STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 20: Nick Tarburton #46 of the Penn State Nittany Lions lines up against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the first half at Beaver Stadium on November 20, 2021 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 20: Nick Tarburton #46 of the Penn State Nittany Lions lines up against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the first half at Beaver Stadium on November 20, 2021 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FLORIDA – JANUARY 01: Raheim Sanders #5 of the Arkansas Razorbacks runs for a 3-yard first down on a 4th and 2 in the first quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the 2022 Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium on January 01, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA – JANUARY 01: Raheim Sanders #5 of the Arkansas Razorbacks runs for a 3-yard first down on a 4th and 2 in the first quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the 2022 Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium on January 01, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /

Safety

Heading into the offseason, the competition to replace Jaquan Brisker figured to come down to Keaton Ellis and Jaylen Reed, and while they are still the two most likely candidates, a great spring by redshirt freshman Zakee Wheatley has gotten his name into the conversation as well.

Keaton Ellis started in both the Outback Bowl and the spring scrimmage, so he seems like the current frontrunner. However, the staff seems to think very highly of Reed, and as a true freshman, he played more and more as the season progressed last year, showing a ton of upside.

At six-foot-two, Wheatley’s length and range will play a big factor if he is able to pull of the ‘upset’ and win the job, though that seems a little far-fetched. This year, the young defensive back is probably better suited to be a role player and provide some solid depth to the Nittany Lions’ secondary.

Last year’s secondary was one of the best in Penn State Football history, and if the winner of this competition to start alongside Ji’Ayir Brown at safety proves to be a good one, the 2022 secondary could come close to matching the one from a year ago.

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