Penn State Football: 3 players who could step up at wide receiver

3. Theo Johnson

Lambert-Smith’s replacement does not need to be the guy literally filling in for him in the lineup.

Penn State may opt to run more two tight end sets if Lambert-Smith does miss time. The Nittany Lions have one of the best tight end rooms in the country with Brenton Strange, Theo Johnson and Tyler Warren. No one would blame them for getting these guys on the field more often.

Strange is having a career year, catching 15 passes for 231 yards and four touchdowns. Johnson is off to a slow start after missing a couple games at the beginning of the year.

Johnson might be the best athlete in the tight end room and was a highly touted recruit. His first two seasons were not as productive as some may have expected, but Johnson has a chance to change that now.

At 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds, Johnson is a force is the middle of the field and creates mismatches for the Nittany Lions. If Lambert-Smith was to miss time, offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich may get more creative with his tight ends, like he did against Auburn in 2021.

This will lead to an increase in targets for Johnson, giving him more chances to make big plays. If Penn State can get Strange and Johnson clicking at the same time, this offense will be very difficult to stop.