Penn State had a huge start to the week for men's hockey and earned recognition in football preseason rankings. On top of that, former Nittany Lions are holding up pretty well in the NFL. Here's what you missed.
Generational hockey talent Gavin McKenna commits to Penn State
The Nittany Lions set aside $700,000 for 17-year-old forward Gavin McKenna to play in Happy Valley. While that's definitely not a standard NIL offer for student-athletes, McKenna is a generational talent and Penn State men's hockey is searching for a one-way ticket to a national title. He has the skill, speed, mentality, size — everything. McKenna is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
After the left winger visited Penn State and Michigan State, surveyed his offers, he announced on July 8 that Happy Valley will be his home for however long he stays in the NCAA. He's spending his final amateur year with the Nittany Lions, meaning the Pittsburgh Penguins will have scouts in the stands at every home game.
Penn State football honored on Phil Steele's preseason Big Ten rankings and head coach James Franklin earns spot on The Dodd Trophy watch list
In Phil Steele's annual digital magazine, he gave his Big Ten preseason rankings. The Nittany Lions not only were high up in the conference but had 14 players sprinkled throughout his preseason All-Big Ten teams.
Penn State was ranked No. 2 in the conference with a 127.87 overall rating using results from last season, schedule strength, and Steele's Plus/Minus Power Ratings. Ohio State earned the No. 1 spot and Oregon fell behind the Nittany Lions.
Steele also named four Penn State players to the preseason All-Big Ten First Team: Drew Allar, Nicholas Singleton, Vega Ioane, and Zane Durant. His second team selections were Kaytron Allen, Dani Dennis-Sutton, Tony Rojas, A.J. Harris, Zakee Wheatley, and Tyler Duzansky. Trebor Pena, Devonte Ross, and Singleton on kick return were All-Big Ten Third Team selections. Two Nittany Lions, Nick Dawkins and Amare Campbell, made the fourth team.
On top of Steele's preseason rankings, head coach James Franklin was offered some praise ahead of the season by being named to The Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List. Among 25 other head coaches in the NCAA, Franklin should be a serious contender when the midseason, narrowed-down list is released. This is his 12th season at Penn State and, if all goes to plan, he should be on a title-searching run the second the first kickoff happens.
Saquon Barkley, Pat Freiermuth, Abdul Carter, and Tyler Warren updates ahead of NFL training camp
Saquon Barkley took it easy in the offseason, prioritizing relaxation rather than stay with his usual "go" mindset. Entering his eighth year, the Philadelphia Eagles want their star running back healthy and ready to go Week 1, not tired and unable to perform at the highest-level he's capable of. This new approach to the offseason and preseason will help Barkley hit 2025 the same way he did 2024.
Pat Freiermuth is excited for the era of Aaron Rodgers in Pittsburgh. Even with Jonnu Smith joining the tight end room, Freiermuth should be expected to have an impressive year with the Steelers as offensive coordinator Arthur Smith is hoping to utilize tight ends more. The former Penn State player will have a more stable offense to get more reps in now that Rodgers is behind center.
Abdul Carter and Tyler Warren gave standout performances in OTAs and rookie minicamps with the New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts, respectively. Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen is trying to find a way to utilize Carter, Brian Burns, and Kayvon Thibodeaux simultaneously on the field. The former Nittany Lion will likely be used at an inside linebacker position. As for Warren, he's expected to bring a fire to the Colts offense they've been lacking. His IQ, agility, and sight on the field will be useful for Indianapolis and difficult for opponents to compete with.