A promising Penn State newcomer is projected by a major outlet to be one of college football’s best true freshmen this season.
Fans who have been following PSU’s offseason storylines know that coach James Franklin and his staff think highly of true freshman OL Cooper Cousins, and ESPN agrees.
In a preseason article projecting the country’s best true freshmen at every position, analyst Tom Luginbill put Cousins on the list, writing that the 6-foot-6, 320-pounder “has received rave reviews from the coaching staff since arriving on campus this past January.
“What makes him unique is he can play guard and center, giving him more value,” Luginbill wrote. “He’s mature and he’s shown the work ethic necessary to be in the mix or even be a starter by Week 1.”
If Cousins is the start for Penn State, it will likely be at center, where he’s been competing with fifth-year senior Nick Dawkins— who was recently named one of Penn State’s six captains— for the job.
Franklin told reporters after practice this past Tuesday that he feels Penn State has eight offensive linemen that can play, and judging by what he said about Cousins the week prior, the true freshman will be one of them.
“I don’t like to talk in ways that are going to create crazy expectations,” Franklin said, “but I could not be more impressed with him, really from the beginning.”
“It’s kind of weird, to be honest with you, but he is as driven and as committed a young player as I’ve ever been around. And specifically on the O-line because it’s hard to play those grown-man positions, O-line and D-line, as a true freshman. But he’s gonna be hard to keep off the field.”
