How Penn State WR Julian Fleming is stepping into a leadership role early on as Nittany Lion
There will be high expectations for Penn State’s skill players this year, but not many are likely to have them set higher than wide receiver Julian Fleming.
Fleming has all of the makings of a breakout star for the Nittany Lions. He’s a former in-state recruit, a five-star one at that, who spurned the program out of high school but has returned to Pennsylvania after spending three years with the Ohio State Buckeyes.
He was a quality contributor for the program in his time in Ohio, but now steps into an offense where he should be the No. 1 receiver. There could be an adjustment period as he transitions to life at Penn State, but according to strength and conditioning coach Chuck Losey — who met with the media following the team’s max out lifting session Thursday — it should be brief.
“For a guy who’s new to the program, Julian Fleming, coming in as an older transfer, he’s put his head down, he’s worked,” Losey said. “He’s done everything the right way. (He’s) what you would want out of a transfer.”
That can manifest in different ways depending on the player. There are boisterous leaders like tight end Theo Johnson, who was the voice of the offense during the 2023 season, and more subtle, guiding leaders like defensive end Adisa Isaac, who was one of the key leaders of the defense last year and frequently led with his actions.
Fleming’s leadership has manifested, so far, much more like those who lead by example.
“I’ve been doing this for a long time. It comes down to having awareness and maturity,” Losey said. “And he is very aware. He’s a very mature young man who came in, and his actions have told his story. He hasn’t said much, nor have I asked him to say much. He just put his head down and has worked and has earned the respect of everyone on this football team.”
Impressive freshmen
The Nittany Lions have brought in Fleming and other transfers to fill immediate needs, but they’re not the only newcomers this spring. Penn State also added 16 freshmen who left high school in the winter to join the program for spring ball, giving them significant head starts on their college careers.
That transition is usually even rockier than the one from one college to another, but Losey has seen leadership from one of the group’s most highly-touted players. Offensive lineman Cooper Cousins, who finished as a five-star recruit according to On3’s recruit rankings, is stepping up in ways that aren’t easy for young players.
“Physically, yeah he was ready to go,” Losey said. “... But his mental game, and the way he is with his teammates and the guys within his class, I think he’s got some serious leadership ability. I could see him being a future leader for us down the road.
“Just the way he communicates with his peers, he doesn’t necessarily communicate amongst his class like you would think a freshman in college would. ... He’s hard on guys around him, but he also loves them up and he’s compassionate toward them when they deserve it and when they need it. I think he’s really mature in that sense.”
He’s one of several recruits that were ranked near the top of the class — RB Quinton Martin, TE Luke Reynolds, among others — but not every player came in at the same starting point with winter workouts.
Martin, specifically, is someone who has come in and impressed early with the strides he’s made so far.
“I was a little bit surprised when he first got here with how raw he was,” Losey said. “I thought he was gonna be a little bit more finished, especially on the things that we do out on the field. And I’m not knocking his baseline by any means, but the amount that he’s grown since being here in a short amount of time, the six to seven weeks on campus, that’s what I’ve been most impressed with.”
Developing sophomores
Linebacker Tony Rojas has received consistent praise since enrolling at Penn State last January, and Thursday evening was no different. The Nittany Lion will likely step into a much bigger role on the field with the departures of Curtis Jacobs for the NFL and Abdul Carter for defensive end, and he is preparing like that’s the case.
“His performance numbers and metrics, they just keep climbing and they keep climbing with the weight gain,” Losey said. “A lot of times, guys get on campus and they put 20 pounds on, but it’s at the detriment of something, usually their movement. Not Tony. Tony’s movement has been right there trending positive with his body composition. ... He keeps getting better as well, and he’s got a voice in that room now.”
Rojas may end up being one of the stars of the recruiting class, but the offensive line group that came in might end up being the most important position group. Anthony Donkoh started at right tackle in the Peach Bowl and played well, and is now trying to carry that success into much more this season.
Donkoh, J’ven Williams, Chimdy Onoh and Alex Birchmeier make up the group of offensive linemen that are trying to make an impact in their second years on campus.
“I’m happy with where Chimdy is,” Losey said. “(Donkoh) has progressed in just about every performance area the way we want him to. He’s pretty much on track so far. ... J’ven came in a little bit ahead of schedule from a performance standpoint. We just need to kind of get him a little bit closer to 310 as opposed to the lower 300s right now. He’s gonna be a monster out there. They’re all doing a great job.”
Quick hitters
Junior running back Nick Singleton squatted 570 pounds for five reps during the portion of the session that was open to the media. He continues to be one of the most physically impressive players on the team.
Defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg was not present during the session and is no longer listed on the roster.
Losey said QBs Beau Pribula, Jaxon Smolik and Drew Allar are all consistent, and said Allar has made strides since arriving on campus two years ago.
