Tommy Stevens Is the Future of Penn State Football

When Penn State takes the field for its first spring practice of 2015 on Friday, there won't be any question who the Nittany Lions' No. 1 quarterback will be.

The 2013 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and one of the top prospects in the 2016 NFL draft, Christian Hackenberg has served as a Band-Aid over not only unprecedented NCAA sanctions but Penn State's transition from the Bill O'Brien era to James Franklin's regime. The former 5-star signal-caller endured a down year statistically in 2014 but is by far the Nittany Lions' best option and has the talent to be one of the top quarterbacks in the country with the right talent around him.

Make no mistake about it: There's no quarterback controversy brewing in Happy Valley. But this time next year, it could very well be a different story.

WalterFootball.com currently ranks the 6'4", 234-pound Hackenberg as the No. 3 draft-eligible quarterback for the 2016 draft, and with a strong junior season, it's not a stretch to say the Palmyra, Virginia, native could be the first signal-caller selected in the draft after the upcoming season. That would leave Franklin searching for a new starter for the first time since arriving in State College in early 2014, but the second-year Penn State head coach already likes what he sees in one potential replacement.

Tommy Stevens wasn't as highly recruited as Hackenberg, or even Brandon Wimbush, who was the first quarterback to commit to the Nittany Lions' 2015 class before opting to sign with Notre Dame. A 3-star prospect by way of Decatur Central in Indianapolis, Indiana, Stevens committed to Franklin last November, having also received offers from Michigan State, Cincinnati, North Carolina State and a number of mid-level Big Ten and Mid-American Conference programs.

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But in just two months on campus as an early enrollee, Stevens has already managed to catch the eye of his head coach. The Circle City native won't be counted on in 2015 and will likely redshirt behind Hackenberg and redshirt freshman Trace McSorley, but he's already building a bond with Franklin, who is clearly excited for his future.

"Getting Tommy here at mid-semester as our quarterback, he's already went from 187 to 200 pounds. He's 6'3"," Franklin said on signing day. "I called his dad two nights ago just to say everybody's in love with your son, he's just one of these kids that doesn't take things for granted anymore, he's very appreciative.

"I got three text messages in the middle of the night from him saying how much he loves Penn State, how appreciative he is of the opportunity, and I want more of our guys to be like that. Just to be appreciative."

Stevens may be thankful to be a part of the Nittany Lions, but his relationship with Franklin could prove to be mutually beneficial.

As opposed to Hackenberg, who was recruited by the NFL-minded O'Brien, Stevens is more of a dual-threat quarterback and could prove to be a better fit in Franklin's more spread-oriented offensive system. The 21st-ranked quarterback in the 2015 class, Stevens threw for 1,891 yards and 16 touchdowns in his senior season, adding 842 yards and 10 scores on the ground.

Originally committed to Indiana, Stevens was set to stay home and be a Hoosier before receiving a scholarship offer from Penn State in the wake of Wimbush's decommittment. A visit to State College to witness the Nittany Lions' thrilling double-overtime loss to Ohio State sealed the deal for Stevens, who flipped his commitment to Penn State two weeks later.

"It was a hard process overall," Stevens said during the on-campus signing day celebration. "I only took one visit here, and that was enough to show me that this is the place for me."

And after just a couple of months on campus, it's clear he doesn't regret his decision.

"The thing I've noticed the most is probably the family-like feel that's been brought here," Stevens said. "I feel like I've been very welcomed from the very beginning. The guys in the locker room have gone out of their way and the coaching staff as well, they've really taken care of us.

"I'm glad to be here, and I can't wait for that next step forward."

That next step forward will start on Friday, when the long-haired Stevens—nicknamed "Sunshine" by his teammates—takes his first snaps in his new blue-and-white No. 4 jersey. Barring injury, he'll presumably participate in Penn State's Blue-White spring game on April 18 but will then likely be relegated to the scout team for the 2015 season.

But while he'll temporarily take a back seat, all eyes could be back on Stevens this time next year should Hackenberg opt to bring an early end to his college career. Franklin isn't prepared to talk about life without Hackenberg just yet, but it could very well be around the corner, only increasing the emphasis he's placing on having a replacement ready.

"Whenever you're trying to get your No. 2 quarterback, or the quarterback that's competing with your starter, however you want to look at it," Franklin said, "getting that guy ready to play is very, very important."

Ben Axelrod is Bleacher Report's Big Ten Lead Writer. You can follow him on Twitter @BenAxelrod. Unless noted otherwise, all quotes were obtained firsthand. All statistics courtesy of CFBStats.com. Recruiting rankings courtesy of 247Sports.