Former Western Kentucky wide receiver Mitch Tinsley has enrolled at Penn State. Tinsley announced his intent to transfer to Happy Valley on Christmas Eve and has joined the nine early enrollees that started classes this week.
Tinsley is a 6-foot-1, 205-pound receiver who caught 87 passes for 1402 yards and 14 touchdowns last season for the Hilltoppers, capping it off with recording seven receptions for 103 yards and two touchdowns against Appalachian State in the Boca Raton Bowl. He was not a big-name prospect heading into college as he started at Hutchinson Junior college in Kansas before heading to Western Kentucky.
Wide receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield commented on what he looked for in recruiting Tinsley “We’re going to look for someone that can be dynamic, we want somebody that has shown production. You want someone that has ideally leaving (their previous school) on good terms. You’re Just trying to find the best fit, because I feel that I have a pretty good room.
Tinsley has not spoken much about his transfer, but he will have an opportunity to be on a bigger stage playing in the Big Ten conference against op competition to impress NFL scouts as he will have an opportunity to be the top target in Mike Yurich’s offense in place of the departed Jahan Dotson. Penn State returns sophomore Parker Washington who is a very good slot receiver, Keandre Lambert Smith who is a deep threat that can stretch a defense, and incoming freshman Kaden Saunders who now won’t be tasked with being the hero for the receiving corps at Penn State.
Tinsley has turned the biggest question mark on Penn States’ offense into a strength, and he and Sean Clifford will have a chance to be a top quarterback-receiver duo in the Big Ten and it starts by building chemistry in Spring practice.
Twitter: @bwalkerdadon
