Penn State football staff expect 5-star true freshman will compete this spring

The offensive linemen that Penn State football has gathered over the past several recruiting cycles will be the future of the program. As the Big Ten has expanded, this will lead to more physical games, and the offensive line play will need to be exceptional to win at the highest level. The Nittany Lions have secured the talent from the recruiting pipeline and are now in the development phase. However, according to strength coach Chuck Losey, true freshman and former five-star prospect Cooper Cousins appears to be ahead of schedule.

Penn State football coach says true freshman OL has shown ‘flashes’

The buzz around Cooper Cousins has not slowed down in recent months. The five-star prospect from Erie has garnered much attention from national recruiting experts in the lead-up to National Signing Day.

Now on campus as an early enrollee, the praise for Cousins continues to pour in from the Penn State football coaching staff. Last week, strength and conditioning coach Chuck Losey spoke to Cousins’ physical and mental preparedness just a few short weeks into his Nittany Lion career.

“Cooper Cousins is a guy that flashes. Rarely do you get a guy to come in here who just fits in from a body type standpoint, from a mentality and demeanor standpoint,” Losey said. “Usually takes those big guys a few years to develop and find their game, but he has positioned himself to where he is going to compete in spring ball. [I’m] proud of him.

“The way he is with his teammates and the guys in his class, I think he’s got some serious leadership abilities,” Losey added. “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 with his class like you would think a freshman in college would.”

Who will Cousins compete with?

Just where Cooper Cousins will slot into the lineup for Penn State football during his first spring practice period is still to be determined. But with his size (listed at 6-6, 319 pounds) and his natural athleticism, offensive tackle seems like the perfect fit.

The Nittany Lions will replace both starting tackles in 2024, with Olu Fashanu and Caedan Wallace off to the NFL. Right now, Drew Shelton and Anthony Donkoh are the frontrunners for the starting tackle roles this fall. But if Cooper Cousins can push either of them over the next few weeks and into fall camp, it may be difficult for Penn State football to keep the true freshman out of the lineup this fall.

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