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Summer to be 'huge' for Penn State wideout Mitchell Tinsley, James Franklin says

IMG_1698 5 (1)by:David Eckert•04/17/22•

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Mitchell Tinsley works on his ball security during Penn State's April 6 spring practice. (Credit: BWI/Steve Manuel)

This spring has been about setting a foundation for transfer wideout Mitchell Tinsley, Penn State head coach James Franklin said.

This summer, crucially, will be about building on it.

“I think this summer will be huge,” Franklin said this week. “Not only from an offensive perspective, but I just think our strength and conditioning program and our speed program that he’s going to be involved with this summer.”

Tinsley has garnered positive reviews from his teammates and coaches throughout the spring.

A JuCo product and two-year contributor at Western Kentucky, Tinsley has looked every bit like the pair of steady hands the Nittany Lions need in the aftermath of Jahan Dotson‘s departure.

He ranked eighth in the nation last season with 1,402 receiving yards, adding 14 touchdowns, too. This spring, he’s shown the maturity and know-how typical of someone capable of that kind of production.

“He’s refined in terms of how to run routes,” Franklin said. “Very consistent catching the ball. He’s Steady Eddy. He’s what you’d expect from a veteran who…was in the top-10 in receiving yards in the country. I think he had like 1,400 yards receiving last year in an offense that threw it every single down. I think it was illegal to run the ball. But still, he had great production. That shows up.”

Tinsley’s teammates agree.

Tight end Brenton Strange called him a “great player,” noting that he’s been very impressed by Tinsley’s adjustment to the Penn State offense.

Quarterback Sean Clifford lives with Tinsley, who is always in the quarterback’s ear talking football and asking questions. (Clifford likes that he’s a clean roommate, too.)

“He’s electric,” Clifford said. “He’s a workhorse.

“Always working, always finishing drills, always doing extra…We have a really good relationship. He’s going to be really special this year.”

Potential for growth for Mitchell Tinsley at Penn State

As productive as Tinsley has been previously and as good as he’s looked this spring, Franklin has indicated more than once that there is room for growth with the wideout — given the resources available to him at Penn State.

The training program outlined for him this summer will be key, as will the standard set by the other players Tinsley is competing with.

“I think it’s been really good for him from a testing perspective to be able to see the guys he’s competing against, what they run, what they jump, all those types of things to see some of those explosive numbers and where he may want to improve,” Franklin said previously.

Certainly, evidence exists that the Nittany Lions are more than capable of taking their transfers to the next level.

All one needs to do is look at Temple transfer Arnold Ebiketie‘s 2021 season. Ebiketie was productive enough for the Owls in 2020, with six sacks. But after an offseason in Happy Valley, he’s a first-team All-Big Ten defensive end who could be a first- or second-round pick at next week’s NFL Draft.

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