Is this ‘underappreciated’ Penn State football player ready for a breakout game?

This 2023 Penn State football roster is riddled with talent on both sides of the field. From Drew Allar to Nick Singleton to Abdul Carter, opponents need to be aware of where Penn State’s playmakers are at all times. With all the focus shifted to the Nittany Lions’ current stars, there’s the opportunity for up-and-coming playmakers to have their chance to shine. Enter redshirt freshman WR Kaden Saunders. Saunders has already brought “underappreciated” value to the field this season, but the former top-ranked recruit could be ready to break out on the national stage.

Kaden Saunders builds confidence during true freshman season

Kaden Saunders came to Penn State as a top 100 prospect in the class of 2022, according to On3. The four-star recruit was a top 20 WR nationally and a top 5 prospect out of Ohio. 

But Saunders only saw limited action as a true freshman, redshirting in 2022. On Tuesday, James Franklin discussed the redshirting as an opportunity for Saunders to prepare himself, both physically and mentally, for the college game.

“I think he’s really starting to build the confidence and acquire the strength,” Franklin said. “I think the big thing for him as a true freshman is he was an undersized guy, but also needed the time in the weight room to develop and get stronger. Now, he’s an undersized guy, which is fine, but he’s got the strength and the confidence to go out and play the way we need him to play. I think that will just continue to grow throughout his career.”

Wednesday after practice, Saunders shed light on his arrival and transition to Penn State last offseason.

“When I first got here, [during] winter workouts, my confidence was kind of down a little bit,” he told us. Saunders described the mental challenge that came with the elevation of competition from high school to college. “But once we started playing football — football is football, and I’ve been this for a long time, so I’m always confident in what I can do,” he said. 

“Underappreciated” value Saunders has already shown on the field

Saunders has seen the field early and often in 2023, primarily due to his role on special teams. Named the starting punt returner out of fall camp, Saunders has impressed with his ball security and stability back deep. According to James Franklin, this has been a highly underappreciated aspect of his development.

“I think the way he catches the ball right now as a punt returner is one of those things that no one’s talking about,” Franklin said Tuesday. “That’s underappreciated. Catching the ball in traffic the way he is, with such confidence, with such poise, there’s a ton of value. That ball gets to the ground, it rolls another 12 yards. That ball gets to the ground, it hits one of our players. I think it’s a really good starting point to build on…I think you’re going to see he’s going to make some big plays for us as a punt returner as well.”

This sentiment was echoed by Penn State punter Riley Thompson, who is excited to see what Kaden Saunders can do once he gets some open space in the return game.

“Kaden has worked so hard during the course of this year to get where he is,” Thompson told us this week. “I think he’s done an amazing job…Once he gets that chance to have a big return, he’s pretty electric on the ground. So, I’m excited to see what’s coming for him.”

A potential impact player on offense for Penn State?

Kaden Saunders is also positioning himself to be an impact player on the offensive side of the football. While he only has 2 catches for 19 yards on the year, both came in the second half last weekend at Illinois.

Saunders provided a spark to a sluggish Penn State WR room last week, helping move the offense down the field for the put-away score in the third quarter. 

As an Ohio prospect, Saunders has preexisting chemistry with QB Drew Allar, which could become a critical factor as the season progresses. Overall, Saunders has impressed on and off the field, and he looks poised to play a significant role for Penn State football moving forward.

“On offense, he’s shown signs as well in games and in practice that, that role will continue to grow,” James Franklin said. “But we’re very pleased with Kaden. He’s been a really good teammate. He’s got a huge smile on his face. He’s taken a very important role and is growing in it.”

Penn State football returns to action Saturday to face Iowa in primetime for the annual White Out game. 

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