Penn State will host its annual spring showcase Saturday at Beaver Stadium, though this year’s event comes with a slightly different look and a different tone.
Under first-year head coach Matt Campbell, the traditional spring game has been rebranded as the Blue-White Practice, a reflection of Campbell’s repeated emphasis that Penn State “can’t waste a practice.” Rather than serving strictly as a fan-friendly scrimmage, Saturday’s event figures to be another important evaluation point for a roster undergoing major transition.
That makes this weekend especially intriguing. Penn State has welcomed more than 30 transfers, returns several key contributors from last season, and is still sorting through a number of position battles as Campbell and his staff continue to shape the roster in their image.
With that in mind, here are five players to watch Saturday and why each one matters.
James Peoples — Running Back
Peoples arrives at Penn State with an interesting profile and perhaps even more intrigue than his stat line alone suggests.
In the 2024 recruiting class, Peoples was ranked just behind Penn State signee and current teammate Quinton Martin Jr., which speaks to the caliber of player the Nittany Lions are getting. It is not often that Ohio State lets a running back leave without much expectation attached to him. Penn State fans need only look at Julian Fleming as a reminder that a change of scenery does not always unlock immediate stardom, but it can create a fresh opportunity.
For Peoples, that opportunity is now.
Last season at Ohio State, Peoples served as the Buckeyes’ RB3 behind Bo Jackson and CJ Donaldson. Even in a limited role, he averaged nearly six yards per carry, earned an 80.0 rushing grade from Pro Football Focus, and posted an 83.8 ball-security grade, the best among Ohio State running backs. That combination of efficiency and reliability makes him a compelling addition.
Of course, the competition at Penn State will not be easy. Peoples joins a room that also includes Martin and Iowa State transfer Carson Hansen, among others. Still, if Peoples can flash explosiveness, vision, and pass-game utility Saturday, he could strengthen his case to carve out a meaningful role in the rotation this fall.
Max Granville — Defensive End
Few Penn State players carry more mystery right now than Max Granville.
Granville reclassified in 2024 to join the program during Penn State’s College Football Playoff run, but a significant injury in 2025 delayed the next phase of his development. That means much of the hype around the former four-star prospect from Sugar Land, Texas, is still built more on projection than production.
And yet, the buzz remains.
Part of that is due to the long-term upside Granville has always possessed. Part of it is because Penn State has an opening at EDGE, and the opportunity is there for someone to seize it. Granville looks like one of the most obvious candidates.
He recently acknowledged the frustration that came with being sidelined for so long, especially after another physical setback. But he also sounded confident that his body is responding well.
“It definitely gets a little frustrating, especially being out for so long with something else, and then something like a back flaring up,” Granville said, while expressing confidence in his knee. “When I’ve been running and everything, I feel great. I feel athletic, I feel fast, (and) I put on some more muscle. So there’s no real trust issues. If I’m gonna make a plant, I feel great.”
If Granville looks healthy, quick, and disruptive Saturday, it will only intensify the belief that he and fellow EDGE Yvan Kemajou could become Penn State’s next dangerous tandem on the edge.
Amarion Jackson — Wide Receiver
No true freshman seems to have generated more buzz this spring than Amarion Jackson.
Jackson, a three-star signee in Penn State’s 2026 class out of Millard South in Omaha, Nebraska, arrived with an intriguing 6-foot-2, 185-pound frame and plenty of room for additional physical development. What has made him such a storyline this spring, though, is not just his size. It is how quickly he has adapted.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Originally brought in with the flexibility to play safety, Jackson has made a strong impression after moving to wide receiver. Campbell has been particularly complimentary of the freshman, and his comments suggested Jackson is doing much more than simply holding his own.
“I don’t know if there’s a true freshman that’s had a bigger spring than what he has,” Campbell said. He added Jackson is “on track right now to have pushed to play as a true freshman.”
That is notable, especially in a room where the top tier may already be taking shape with Iowa State transfers Chase Sowell and Brett Eskildsen, along with returner Koby Howard. Even so, there is still room for a young player to break into the mix, especially one with Jackson’s versatility and upside.
Saturday should provide one of the first real public looks at how Penn State plans to use him.
Caleb Bacon — Linebacker
Penn State’s linebacker play was inconsistent last season, especially after Tony Rojas went down with a season-ending injury.
The Nittany Lions never seemed to fully recover from that loss. Amare Campbell was one of the few players who appeared fully comfortable in Jim Knowles’ complex system, and his decision to follow Knowles to Tennessee only added to the challenge of rebuilding the room.
That is where Caleb Bacon comes in.
Penn State is hoping Rojas’ return restores some stability, but Bacon may prove just as important. If the Nittany Lions are going to get back to the kind of linebacker play they enjoyed when Kobe King anchored the unit in 2024, Bacon could have a major role in that equation.
Last season at Iowa State, Bacon finished third on the team with 68 tackles and second in tackles for loss with 9.5. He also posted a 76.4 run-defense grade from Pro Football Focus, which stands out considering how much Penn State struggled in that area in 2025.
Even in what will likely be a controlled spring setting, Bacon is worth studying closely. How he moves, diagnoses plays, and complements Rojas could tell a lot about what this defense might become.
Benjamin Brahmer — Tight End
Tight end has become one of the glamour positions in the Penn State offense, which naturally puts a spotlight on Benjamin Brahmer.
With former five-stars Luke Reynolds and Andrew Olesh no longer in the room, many fans will be eager to see how Brahmer looks in a featured role. The former Iowa State standout arrived in State College after catching 37 passes last season, leading the Cyclones in receptions and earning John Mackey Award semifinalist recognition.
That production gives Penn State a proven player at a position that has become central to the offense’s identity.
Brahmer is also stepping into a room that still includes Andrew Rappleyea, who is expected to play alongside him near the top of the depth chart. But the unavoidable question is how anyone at tight end will be judged after the standard Tyler Warren helped establish.
That is what makes Brahmer so fascinating. Penn State does not necessarily need him to be Tyler Warren. It does, however, need him to be a dependable mismatch who can keep the position among the offense’s strengths.
Saturday will offer the first glimpse of whether he looks ready to handle that kind of responsibility.
