No. 2 Penn State has national championship expectations hanging over the program heading into the 2025 season, and for all intents and purposes, that journey to January began on Monday with James Franklin’s first weekly press conference of the season. Beyond focusing on the Nittany Lions’ Week 1 opponent, Nevada, Franklin shed some light on two true freshmen that he views as season-long contributors.
One of the biggest pieces of news to come out of the press conference is that two class of 2025 recruits have the “green light” to burn their redshirts this season: cornerback Daryus Dixson and defensive end Chaz Coleman. With Franklin willing to play them in more than just four games to preserve an additional season of eligibility, they will likely be significant contributors for defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.
Daryus Dixson and Chaz Coleman both set to burn redshirts in true freshman season
Last season, Cooper Cousins, Luke Reynolds, and Dejuan Lane were the three Nittany Lion freshmen who burned their redshirts. Cousins blew away the staff at the beginning of the season while Reynolds and Lane were forced into the rotation by injury, with tight end Andrew Rappleyea missing the entire season and safety Kevin Winston Jr. going down playing his final snap of the year in Week 2.
It appears that Dixson followed Cousins’ blueprint as a top recruit in the class who became difficult to keep off the field in fall camp. While the need for Coleman to play meaningful snaps likely arose when Max Granville, who was slated for a major role in his redshirt freshman season, was lost for the year with a long-term injury this summer.
AJ Harris is the clear CB1 for the Nittany Lions, with Audavion Collins and Elliot Washington II expected to split time as his counterpart. Zion Tracy, who filled the nickel cornerback role last season, especially after Winston was lost and Jaylen Reed was moved back to full-time safety, is back to start in the same spot this year. Dixson, then, will likely rotate amongst that group, and will have a particularly good opportunity for playing time early in the season as Penn State is a heavy favorite against Nevada, FIU, and Villanova, before the Nittany Lions host Oregon in Week 5.
Coleman will also work into a rotation of established veterans, playing as a primary backup to Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zuriah Fisher on the edge. Coleman was a composite four-star, but barely a top 300 overall recruit in the class. Yet, from the moment he arrived on campus, he blew the Penn State coaching staff away and took advantage of the void left by Granville’s injury to earn a role on the 2025 roster.
There are two aspects to consider with players burning their redshirt. First, there’s the implication that they will play meaningful snaps as true freshman. Second, there’s an understanding that they will be heading to the NFL well before five years and maybe in just three. Both Dixson and Coleman placed themselves on that trajectory with their first fall camp in Happy Valley, and that’s a great sign for the future of those positions.