August camp is nearly here for Penn State, and with it comes a fresh look at which Nittany Lions could be ready to take a real step forward in 2026.
PennLive is rolling out a series on 10 players to watch, and the idea goes beyond the obvious headliners and proven starters. Matt Campbell and his staff already know what they have in the returning core - names like quarterback Rocco Becht, running back Carson Hansen, tight end Ben Brahmer, offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh, linebacker Tony Rojas, defensive backs Marcus Neal Jr., Zion Tracy and Jeremiah Cooper, plus a few others who have already established themselves as difference makers.
So the spotlight turns to players who could break out next year. First up is a wideout with real downfield pop: Koby Howard.
Howard, a 5-11, 203-pound second-year receiver, played in nine games as a true freshman and made four starts. He finished the season with seven catches for 133 yards. He also added weight heading into his sophomore year, a sign he’s being built for a bigger role.
There’s room for that role to expand. Howard wasn’t used much early in 2025, but his snaps and opportunities picked up once Terry Smith became interim coach for the final seven games. That late-season rise could be a preview of what’s coming if the passing game opens up for him.
He’ll have to earn it in camp, though. Penn State brought in Brett Eskildsen and Chase Sowell, Campbell’s top two wideouts from Iowa State, and the pair combined for 62 receptions, 1,126 yards and seven touchdowns. That’s real competition.
Still, Howard has a chance to carve out space if defenses are busy accounting for Hansen, Brahmer, Eskildsen and Sowell. In that kind of setup, a receiver with serious stretch-the-field ability can become a problem fast.
In Other News...
Penn States Iconic Jersey Is About To Change Forever
Penn States football uniforms are headed for a long-anticipated change, with athletic director Pat Kraft confirming the program will soon add a corporate logo patch to the jerseys. It is the latest sign that even one of college footballs most tradition-heavy brands is adjusting to the new financial realities of the sport, and Penn State is approaching the move with the same caution it has shown in other revenue pursuits.
Kraft said the department is weighing the right fit while trying to protect the look and feel of the jersey, a balancing act that has become familiar across the Big Ten as more schools embrace patch deals. Penn State has already leaned into other money-making avenues, from a cryptocurrency fan token platform to a stadium field-naming rights agreement, and the jersey patch now appears to be the next piece of that broader push, even if the final rollout is still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Fans Can See This Uniform Change Coming Now
The NCAAs approval of commercial patches on college uniforms has already started to reshape the Big Ten, with Illinois, Northwestern, Michigan State and Ohio State all moving ahead with jersey sponsorships. For Penn State, the change feels less like a question of if than when, especially as schools around the league begin turning a once-taboo space on the uniform into a new revenue stream.
An official announcement has not arrived yet, but the expectation around Happy Valley is that the Nittany Lions will not sit this one out for long. Once Penn State does move, the sponsor will say plenty about how the program wants to balance tradition with the modern business of college sports, and it will be worth watching which local or national brand ends up in that spot. [Read more 🡒]
Pat Kraft Just Sent Penn State Fans A Blunt Basketball Message
Penn States mens basketball budget is getting a noticeable lift, and athletic director Pat Kraft made it clear the program is being asked to think bigger about what it takes to compete in the Big Ten. In an interview, Kraft said the Nittany Lions are still spending below the leagues top programs, even as the budget has nearly doubled for the 2026-2027 season and now sits around $8 million, with NIL and third-party support playing a growing role in how schools build rosters.
Kraft also put the focus on the people trying to make that money matter, praising Mike Rhoades and his staff for the way they have recruited and developed the roster. The message was straightforward: Penn State wants to be competitive at a high level, but getting there means more than just opening the checkbook, and the next step in that climb will depend on how the program keeps bridging the gap with the leagues biggest spenders. [Read more 🡒]