College Football

Penn State 2017 Breakout Candidate: WR Juwan Johnson

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:21 p.m. ET

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Juwan Johnson could be in line for a big season with the Nittany Lions.

Each year a player who gets a bigger opportunity puts up some surprising numbers. This past year, guys like tight end Mike Gesicki and wide receiver Saeed Blacknall had breakout seasons. Wide receiver Juwan Johnson could be that guy in 2017.

Penn State had a very impressive season on offense in 2016 and will return the majority of the unit for 2017. The passing game took a major step forward under the direction of offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead and quarterback Trace McSorley. With Penn State’s tendency to go for the big play down the field, there were plenty of opportunities for the wide receiver to make plays.

Leading receiver Chris Godwin has decided to forego his final season and head to the NFL. Due to that, there will be a chance for someone else to step up. Blacknall and DaeSean Hamilton are likely to benefit the most, but others will as well.

When looking at the returning receivers, Johnson has a great chance to become an important part of the offense.

Nicknamed “Megatron Jr.” in high school, Johnson stands at six-foot-four and presents a big target for his quarterback. He was a four-star recruit and considered on of the top wide receivers in the 2015 class.

After receiving a redshirt as a true freshman, Johnson finally got on the field in 2016. He appeared in every game and even started against Purdue. However, he wasn’t heavily involved in the offense and made just two catches.

The first was a 27-yard reception against Pitt and the second was a 43-yard catch in the regular season finale against Michigan State.

Despite the low output, Johnson could see a big uptick in usage this season. With another year of development behind him, the receiver will be ready to break out in 2017. With most of the group still intact, it’s not expected that Penn State will regress much on offense. Moorhead will once again be looking to run an exciting air attack.

Look for Juwan Johnson to put up career numbers and be a big key for Penn State in 2017.