Penn State Football: 5 Most Important Redshirt Freshmen and Transfers

Bill O'Brien came in to his first spring at Penn State prepared to offer every player on the roster a clean slate. Will that given any players deep on the depth chart a chance to make a push for significant playing time in the fall?

Penn State is relatively light on redshirt freshmen and there are no transfers looking to make an impact this season, but here is a look at five of the young players ready to see some time on the field in the fall.

Ben Kline, Linebacker

Penn State's lone redshirt freshman playing at the signature position of the defense, Ben Kline may not be likely to see much action in the fall, except in the last minutes of a game that has been well-decided.

But given the history of Penn State linebackers and injuries, having a player like Kline available is certainly a nice asset.

Anthony Alosi, Offensive Line

Offensive line is actually a pretty deep position for Penn State, with two redshirt seniors and seven players with junior eligibility. But having extra offensive linemen is never a bad thing.

Anthony Alosi is one of the younger linemen that will be eligible this season. The 3-star prospect out of New Jersey will add some quality depth to the line in the fall.

Angelo Mangiro, Offensive Line

Angelo Mangiro is another 3-star offensive linemen entering his redshirt freshman season with Penn State. Mangiro is also another prospect out of New Jersey that brings good size to the line. If called upon, Penn State's offensive line should be in decent shape as he grows in to the position and gets stronger under the new strength and conditioning regimen.

Anthony Zettel, Defensive End

Defensive line is a position that is vital to the success of the Penn State defense, and it is also a position that has been prone to injuries over the years. Pete Massaro is returning from his second ACL injury at the defensive end position but if he or others start to succumb to injuries, a pair of redshirt freshmen may be called upon at some point.

Anthony Zettell is one of them...

Deion Barnes, Defensive End

... and Deion Barnes is the other. Both Barnes and Zettel are important for the depth of the position and Penn State's defense. Having young players who can step in to the fray in a pinch at key positions like defensive end is vital to the success of a defense. Whether Barnes and Zettel are ready for prime time action remains to be seen, but each brings some youthful energy to the defense that is ready to grow.

The hope, of course, is that neither player is needed this season, with Pete Massaro returning from injury and paired with Sean Stanley.

C.J. Olaniyan had a solid spring game and Kyle Baublitz has shown some promise as well. Time will come for these young players, but if called upon this fall they could play a key role. 

Kevin McGuire is the host of the No 2-Minute Warning podcast, managing editor of Nittany Lions Den and a member of the Football Writers Association of America and National Football Foundation. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook and add him to your Google+ circle.