2025 four-star Koby Howard burst onto the radar of Penn State fans during his first offseason in Happy Valley, but caught just seven passes on nine targets for 133 yards last season. The breakout never came with so many veteran options in front of him.
Now, heading into Howard’s sophomore season, the hype has only grown. He appeared to be a lock to start in the slot for offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser, with Iowa State transfers Chase Sowell and Brett Eskildsen on the outside. However, he may suddenly have some competition from another second-year pass-catcher looking to carve out a role in the passing game.
Like Howard, Zay Robinson had a quiet Year 1, catching the only pass that came his way as a Cyclone and turning it into no gain. However, the former three-star from West Des Moines is suddenly making a lot of noise at fall camp.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Mouser raved about Robinson’s improvement since he arrived in Happy Valley:
"He can just bounce around, and he's done a good job. And he was a guy that I challenged him after spring ball, like, you need to be better… because he's one of our most competitive guys, and he's rose to the challenge… I've just been impressed with his ability to turn himself into a pro with how he prepares every day.”
Zay Robinson could be an even better fit in the slot than Koby Howard
In his limited work, Howard has shown flashes of lateral agility, which, with his long speed, make him a threat with the ball in his hands. However, Howard’s calling card is still that speed. He can stretch the defense vertically, but that’s something Sowell and Eskildsen both bring to the table, so Mouser and Rocco Becht may prefer to get Robinson’s short-area quickness and underneath separation onto the field.
That’s not to say Robinson can’t get downfield. He absolutely has that arrow in his quiver, just as Howard does as a stop-and-start route-runner. It’s just that Robinson profiles as a more prototypical slot receiver and has a more unique skill set to add to the passing game.
So, if Mouser and his staff, including wide receivers coach Kashif Moore, who came from UConn this offseason and didn’t recruit either Robinson or Howard, view the two second-year receivers as the same caliber of player at this point in their careers, fit in the offense could determine who gets the most snaps at WR3.
Though he doesn’t have elite size at 5-foot-11, Howard’s future is probably on the outside. His upside as Penn State’s potential WR1 is higher than Robinsons, but with Sowell and Eskildsen largely blocking his path on the outside, Mouser’s desire to run 12 and 13 personnel with his bevy of tight ends limiting the available snaps, and now Robinson pushing for playing time, it could delay his breakout another year, or even see Robinson usurp him on the depth chart for the time being.
Becht and Howard reportedly developed a great connection during the offseason, so there’s also a possibility that he’s just ready right now and has already forced his way onto the field even in two-wide receiver sets. It remains to be seen, but Penn State potentially having too many good options at the position is a refreshing change of pace after struggling to find playmakers in the waning years of James Franklin’s tenure.
Add us as a preferred source on Google