Penn State football's dangerous weapon identified as 2024 star

Penn State football is trying to stand out in 2024 from the other powerhouse programs in the Big Ten Conference. Although the Nittany Lions have had a lot of success in recent years, they have been overtaken by Michigan and Ohio State in conference play. The Penn State football program does, however, have a dangerous weapon on this year's roster that should be able to help the team compete for the top spot in the league.

Penn State football weapon identified as star

Penn State football has a transfer player this season who is destined for a great campaign. That player is transfer wide receiver Julian Fleming, who comes to the program after playing at Ohio State the past four years. Fleming is a former Gatorade Player of the Year in Pennsylvania, when he was a high school prospect in 2018-19. Fleming grew up just a few hours from State College and is using his final year of college eligibility to play close to home.

Fleming came out of high school with all sorts of accolades. Not only had he received the Gatorade Award, but he was also considered one of the top prospects in the country. He finished his high school career setting records at Pennsylvania, with over 4,400 receiving yards. He also caught an impressive 62 touchdown passes. Those are just video game numbers. Wide receiver was number. 3 overall prospect in 247 Sports' high school recruiting class, after posting these stats. Bryce Young and only one other player were ranked ahead of him. He has also earned high rankings with ESPN and several other college football recruiting services.

Fleming, however, failed to live up to those expectations when he arrived at Ohio State. The wideout was overshadowed by Marvin Harrison Jr. and a few other members of the Buckeyes receiving corps. In his first season, Fleming finished with just 7 catches for 74 yards. His numbers improved, leading to his best season in 2022. That year, as a junior, he had a career-high in receptions and receiving yards. He finished the campaign with 34 catches for 533 yards, accompanied by 6 touchdowns.

The large is simply due to a small group season. He transferred after a frustrating season last year to Ohio State, to give himself another chance to improve his NFL draft stock. Fleming never had a 1,000-yard receiving season in college. This is his time to do it. He joins the Penn State football program as a no-clear. 1 receiving option for quarterback Drew Allar. Fleming is simply too talented to pass up and is absolutely primed to have a breakout season.

Fleming's performance this spring and future outlook

This spring, Fleming had a quiet performance in the program's Blue-White game. Fleming only caught one pass in the game, according to USA Today Sports. Penn State fans are hoping for a lot more from him this year, and he's capable of doing a lot more. Time will tell if Fleming is truly as good as advertised. This season is a golden opportunity for the Nittany Lions to break the logjam that has held them back in the Big Ten. Michigan has a new coach and several stars from that program have joined the NFL. This season might be Penn State's best chance to reclaim a conference title. Penn State hasn't won the Big Ten since 2016.

Penn State opens its season with a very tough game, on the road in West Virginia. This will be Fleming's first chance to put up big numbers and show the world what he is capable of. The battle is scheduled for August 31.