Penn State Football: Players named to preseason watch lists

Posted: Aug 15, 2023 / 02:00 PM EDT

Updated: Aug 17, 2023 / 04:26 PM EDT

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (WHTM) – Several Penn State football players have been named to preseason watch lists going into the 2023 season.

The full list of Penn State players on preseason watch lists is as follows:

Here’s a breakdown of the players who could take home some hardware for the Nittany Lions.

Kaytron Allen

Allen was named to the Doak Walker Award watch list on Aug. 9. The award is given annually to the top college running back in the nation by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum.

Allen is entering his sophomore season. Allen made three starts in his freshman campaign across 13 appearances. The Norfolk, Virginia native rushed for 867 yards, good for the fourth-most by a Penn State freshman for the season.

Allen also scored ten rushing touchdowns, the second-most ever in a season by a Nittany Lion freshman, only behind Singleton’s 12 last year. For his performance, Allen was tabbed an honorable mention for All-big Ten honors from the media.

The 10 semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award will be revealed in November followed by the three finalists. The winner will be announced on Dec. 7 at The Home Depot College Football Awards.

Abdul Carter

Carter was chosen for the Bronko Nagurski Award watch list along with teammates Kalen King and Chop Robinson on Aug. 1. The award is given to the best defensive player in college football and Penn State has never had a player chosen for the trophy. The five finalists for the award will be announced in November.

The linebacker was also selected for the Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list. The honor is given to college football’s defensive best in performance on the field and also character. King was also selected for the Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list.

Carter earned a third watch list nod on Aug. 10 when he was placed on the Butkus Award watch list with Curtis Jacobs. The award is presented to the best linebacker in college football. The winner will be revealed on Nov. 20.

Carter was placed on his fourth watch list, the Bednarik Award watch list, on Aug. 14. The honor is given to the most outstanding defensive college football player. The semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award will be released on Nov. 13 with the finalists being announced on Nov. 28. The award honoree will be revealed at The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 7.

Carter got his fifth watch list nod on Aug. 15 when he was tabbed for the Lombardi Award watch list, which is given annually to an offensive or defensive lineman that exhibits exemplary character and superb football performance. the award winner will be revealed on Dec. 6.

Last season, Carter had 56 tackles with 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native is just one of two Penn State freshmen to post 10+ tackles for loss and 6+ sacks in a single season.

Dante Cephas

Cephas was tabbed for the Biletnikoff Award watch list on Aug. 7. The award is given to the best FBS receiver, from any position, in college football. The three finalists for the Biletnikoff Award will be announced in November

The redshirt senior joined as a transfer to the Nittany Lions this summer from Kent State. While with the Golden Flashes, Cephas was first-team All-MAC in 2021 and 2022 and set a single-game record with 246 receiving yards on 13 catches at Ohio in 2022. The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native has 145 career receptions, 2,139 yards and 12 touchdowns. Last season, Cephas had 48 catches for 744 yards and three touchdowns. Cephas enters into his season in the blue and white with a 27-game reception streak.

Dvon Ellies

Ellies was placed on the Wuerfell Trophy watch list on Aug. 3. The Wuerffel Trophy honors a college football player’s commitment to community service. Ellies has done community work including traveling to Guatemala with his teammates with Soles4Shoes to donate shoes to those in need, is involved with Team IMPACT, and is Penn State football’s leadership liaison for volunteer endeavors.

Ellies has played in 30 games, making two starts. Last season the defensive tackle totaled 15 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, one forced fumble and a pass breakup.

The Wuerffel Trophy winner will be announced on Dec. 7 during The Home Depot College Football Awards Show. The actual award will be presented to the recipient on Feb. 17 at the College Football Hall of Fame.

Ellies is also on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team watch list for his community involvement.

Olumuyiwa Fashanu

Last season, offensive lineman Olumuyiwa Fashanu helped Penn State reach over 400 total yards in five of the games he started in 2022, the top being 482 against Ohio State.

The Waldorf, Maryland native was placed on the Outland Trophy watch list on Aug. 1, which is awarded to the best interior lineman in college football. The only Penn State player to ever receive the Outland Trophy was Mike Reid, a defensive tackle in 1969.

In November the three finalists for the Outland Trophy will be revealed.

Fashanu was also chosen for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award watch list on Aug. 11 and the Lombardi Award watch list on Aug. 15.

The 10 semifinalists for the award will be revealed in mid-November with the winner of the award being announced on Dec. 7 at The Home Depot College Football Awards.

Theo Johnson

Johnson, a junior tight end at Penn State, was added to the Mackey Award watch list for the second consecutive season on Aug. 4. The award is given to the best tight end in college football.

This past season, the Windsor, Ontario native played in 11 games with 20 catches for 328 yards and four touchdowns. Johnson’s four receiving touchdowns were tied for the fourth most across all Big Ten tight ends.

Kalen King

Kalen King was named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list on Aug. 1 with two of his teammates. King earned the honor by leading the Big Ten in passes defended with 21 and pass breakups with 18, coming in at third in the nation for both.

King is also on the watch list for the Lott IMPACT Trophy with teammate Abdul Carter, the Bednarik Award watch list and the Jim Thorpe Award watch list.

Chop Robinson

Robinson was named to the Bronko Nagurski Award for best defensive player in college football along with his two teammates on Aug. 1.

Robinson completed the season tied for No. 7 in the Big Ten for sacks with 5.5 and tied for 15th in tackles for loss with 10, making him a contender for the award.

Robinson was placed on his second watch list, the Bednarik Award watch list, on Aug. 14.

Robinson received his third watch list nod on Aug. 15 when he was added to the Lombardi Award watch list.

Nicholas Singleton

Penn State football running back Nicholas Singleton was among the 84 players named to the Maxwell Award Watch List on July 31.

The Maxwell Award is given annually to the best college football player in the country.

The recognition comes after Singleton’s standout freshman season where he rushed for a team-high 1061 yards for 12 rushing touchdowns. His 12 touchdowns set a Nittany Lion freshman record and Singelton became just the third freshman running back to post over 1,000 rushing yards.

Singleton is the 16th Penn State player to rush for 1,000 yards in a season.

The last Nittany Lion to receive the honor was Larry Johnson in 2002. The semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be released on Nov. 13 and the final three finalists will be announced on Nov. 28.

Singleton was also selected for the Paul Hornung Award watch list on Aug. 3. The Paul Hornung Award is presented to the most versatile player in college football by the Louisville Sports Commission. The Paul Hornung Award will be given at the annual Paul Hornung Award Dinner in March 2024.

Penn State runs onto the field before their white out game against Ohio State in an NCAA college football game in State College, Pa., Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018. (AP Photo/Chris Knight)

Riley Thompson

Penn State punter Riley Thompson was added to the Ray Guy Award watch list on Wednesday.

The award honors the best collegiate punter.

Thompson transferred to Penn State from Florida Atlantic after posting 61 punts for 2,770 yards at Florida Atlantic last season. Thompson had a long of 71 with 15 punts over 50 yards with an average of 45.4 yards per punt. The Australia native had 26 punts inside the 20 with three touchbacks.

The 10 semifinalists for the Ray Guy Award will be announced on Nov. 10 with the winner being announced on Nov. 22.

Curtis Jacobs

Curtis Jacobs was named to the Butkus Award watch list on Thursday with Carter.

Jacobs had 52 tackles last season with 7.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, two fumble recoveries, which tied him for second in the Big Ten, a forced fumble and two pass breakups, and an interception that was returned for a touchdown.

Jacobs earned All-Big Ten honorable mentions by the coaches in 2022 and the media in 2021 and 2022.

The semifinalists for the Butkus Award will be released on Oct. 30 with the finalists being revealed on Nov. 20. The winner of the honor will be announced around Dec. 6.

Omari Evans

Omari Evans earned his first watch list nod of the season on Aug. 17 when the sophomore wide receiver was named to the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award watch list.

The honor is given to the best offensive player in Division one football who meets at least one extra requirement. They must have been born in Texas, graduated from a Texas High School or currently plays at a Texas Division one college.

Last season Evans had five receptions for 55 yards with a touchdown. The Killeen, Texas native had two kick returns for 33 yards.

The 16 semifinalists for the award will be revealed in November with five finalists announced in December. The finalists will be brought to the Early Campbell Tyler Rose Award Banquet in Tyler, Texas on Jan. 10.