There was some understandable hesitancy on the part of the fanbase and the media to believe the Koby Howard hype heading into his second year at Penn State. That hype was there in 2025, and he hardly played. But that hesitancy was abandoned in Week 1 when Howard surpassed his 2025 receiving total with six catches for 161 yards and a touchdown.
Three weeks into the season, it’s hard to know much about a Penn State team that is ranked No. 13 in the country and hasn’t played a Power Conference opponent yet, but it’s inarguable that Howard is WR1. Now, however, Penn State may need to replace him for its Big Ten opener against Wisconsin at Beaver Stadium on Saturday.
On Tuesday, Matt Campbell revealed that Howard was “dinged up” on his 70-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter of the Nittany Lions’ 55-13 win over Buffalo on Saturday and that his status is in doubt for Week 4. The betting line has held with Penn State as a 9.5-point favorite, but if Howard doesn’t play, that undeniably weakens the offense.
But rather than wallow in the disappointment that Howard either won’t play or likely won’t be 100% when he suits up, it’s worth evaluating what the wide receiver room will look like without him on the field, as Rocco Becht did when he spoke with reporters after Campbell.
“I have a ton of confidence in that room,” Becht told reporters. “You talk about Zay Robinson, Amarion Jackson, Brett [Eskildsen], and Chase [Sowell], I mean, those are four guys that are trusted, who've been able to practice well, and have been able to go out and have good reps in a game."
Penn State’s projected wide receiver depth chart without Koby Howard
X-receiver:
- Chase Sowell
- Karon Brookins
- Keith Jones Jr.
Z-receiver:
- Brett Eskildsen
- Amarion Jackson
Slot:
- Zay Robinson
- Peter Gonzales
While Howard is the WR1 on this team, he’s primarily been the slot wide receiver in 11-personnel. Considering Penn State is largely a 12-personnel team, he’s also played outside at the X or the Z. Still, when in 11, Penn State won’t have to shuffle much; simply elevate Zay Robinson, who has been dynamic when he’s seen the field, to that starting role in the slot.
On the outside, Chase Sowell will remain the X and Brett Eskildsen the Z. Behind them, true freshman Amarion Jackson has played the next most snaps at wide receiver, even more than Robinson, and will likely take the outside snaps that Howard would have occupied. While Robinson can fill Howard’s shoes in the slot, he doesn’t have Howard’s inside-out versatility at just 5-foot-11, 186 pounds.
Jackson may also see some time in the slot. As purely outside options, Karon Brookins and Keith Jones Jr. may work into the rotation a bit, but most of their snaps so far this season have come in garbage time. Jones, a Grambling State transfer, made his season debut in Week 3, playing 12 snaps.
Zay Robinson will have a busy day if Andrew Rappleyea is also out
Along with Howard, tight end Andrew Rappleyea is also questionable for Week 4 after exiting with an injury on Saturday. Rappleyea is Penn State’s most complete tight end, so losing him could force offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser to play more 11-personnel than at any point this season. Finn Furmanek can take some snaps at tight end, but Benjamin Brahmer and Gabe Burkle would primarily occupy Rappleyea’s vacated snaps, and both are more specialists: Brahmer as a pass-catcher and Burkle as a blocker.
If Mouser leans more into 11-personnel, that’ll be even more opportunities for Robinson, who has 80 yards and a touchdown on 5 catches. He’s also Penn State’s primary return man, so he would suddenly be one of the most important players on the field in the team’s first real test of the season.
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