James Franklin makes surprising Penn State depth chart announcement

Belgrave-Shorter was a three-star prospect from Mandarin High School in Jacksonville, Fla. He played in seven games last season as a true freshman and recorded only six total tackles. Fast forward a few months, and he's now a starting safety on the No. 2 team in the country. 

The strong safety announcement wasn't the only eyebrow-raising comment Franklin made on Monday. The head coach also announced that freshmen defensive end Chaz Coleman and cornerback Daryus Dixon have been identified as immediate green-light candidates, meaning they're expected to burn their redshirts and play significant snaps for the Nittany Lions in 2025. With DE Abdul Carter and CB Jalen Kimber moving on to the NFL, Coleman and Dixson could quickly carve out prominent roles on Jim Knowles' defense. 

In addition, Franklin announced that Mack and running back Nick Singleton will handle primary kick-return duties. Punt returner will likely be a rotation between cornerback Zion Tracy and wide receivers Trebor Pena and Devonte Ross until someone emerges as the top option.

On the offensive line, Franklin views seven players as starters: Drew Shelton, Vega Ioane, Nick Dawkins, Anthony Donkoh, Nolan Rucci, Cooper Cousins and T.J. Shanahan Jr. The Nittany Lions have the depth up front to maintain a high level of play from the starting five to the backups. 

Franklin typically isn't this forthright about his depth chart, especially this early in the season. It likely indicates the coaching staff is confident in the talent and depth on this roster, so the national championship expectations are in full swing in Happy Valley.