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Penn State receiver cracks Big Ten top five for FOX analyst

nate-mug-10.12.14by: Nate Bauer08/16/23NateBauerBWI
penn-state-receiver-cracks-big-ten-top-five-fox-analyst
Penn State receiver Dante Cephas was chosen as one of Dave Wannstedt's top five at his position in the Big Ten. (Steve Manuel/BWI)

Dave Wannstedt, the former Miami Dolphins and Pitt head coach, kicked off his 2023 preseason coverage with a bang for BTN on Wednesday. Announcing his top five receivers in the conference, a Penn State wideout made the cut.

It just might not be the one Nittany Lion fans or coaches would have anticipated.

Behind Ohio State’s talented tandem of Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka, Wannstedt picked Dante Cephas as his No. 3 receiver in the Big Ten this season. The fourth and fifth spots went to Wisconsin’s C.J. Williams and Illinois’ Isaiah Williams, respectively.

Scouting Dante Cephas

Cephas, a fifth-year senior who spent the past four seasons at Kent State, arrived in Happy Valley late this spring. One of the nation’s most coveted transfer portal prospects at the position last offseason, Cephas arrived with first-team All-MAC recognition and a host of outstanding performances against Power Five competition on his resume.

Still, his transition into becoming a productive piece of Penn State’s offense has demanded a process this summer. As described by Penn State head coach James Franklin on Monday evening, Cephas is firmly in the mix of a group of receivers all vying for playing time as the season quickly approaches.

“He’s a proven commodity. He’s done it in games before against really good competition,” Franklin said. “I would say we got a group of guys that we knew coming into this fall camp, guys in the current program that had gotten better, some new guys coming in. I would say it’s one of those deals where it was a different guy or maybe a different two guys every day that’s flashing. And I wouldn’t say anybody has really kind of separated themselves from the pack yet. 

“But, I do think there’s a large group of guys that can play in games and we can win with. You’d like for somebody to separate themselves from the pack a little bit more.”

Assessing Penn State receivers

At present, Penn State has two players who fit that mold.

KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Harrison Wallace were cited by Franklin in the spring as having separated. No change has occurred to that status this preseason. 

“Trey and KeAndre I think are proven commodities for us in games, as well as in practice. And I think there’s a group that we feel really good about,” Franklin said. “But I would say those two guys, in terms of being assignment sound, being able to make the routine play, being able to make the big play, I think there’s a lot of confidence in those two. 

“There’s a lot of confidence in that other group. There’s just nobody that’s separated on a consistent basis.”

This week, BWI analyst T. Frank Carr broke down Penn State’s receiver position this preseason.

Penn State football begins its third week of preseason practices on Wednesday. The Nittany Lions will then take on West Virginia at 7:30 p.m. at Beaver Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 2.

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