Wade Already Impressing With Lions

One of Lamont Wade’s champions knows about making an immediate impact.

Arriving at Penn State as a true freshman in June of 2015, running back Saquon Barkley earned carries behind starter Akeel Lynch at the season’s beginning. By week two, he’d topped 100 yards for the first time in his career. In week three, he eclipsed 200 yards on the day with a pair of touchdowns.

And though an injury would force him out of two midseason games and the start of the Big Ten schedule, Barkley’s 194 yards on 26 carries at Ohio State officially marked his arrival. The next week, he started the first of what has amounted to the past 20 games for the Nittany Lions, becoming a likely Heisman candidate in the process.

So when the junior-to-be was asked about Lamont Wade, the Nittany Lions’ Rivals.com five-star cornerback and a January enrollee making an early mark in spring camp, Barkley’s initial impressions were worth a listen.

“Lamont is doing a really good job. I think he has a pick already,” said Barkley. “He’s doing a really good job with competing. That’s something that he does really well is competing. He don’t care who you are, he’s going to really go after you and come after you.”

That fearlessness has served Wade well.

And, according to head coach James Franklin, Wade’s size is a big reason why. One of the many aspects that prompted Wade to become a two-time defensive MVP of the Rivals Five-Star Challenge at the high school level nationally, the physicality with which Wade plays has already been on display.

Now listed at 5-foot-9, 193 pounds, Wade has used the strength gains picked up in the weight room this winter to his advantage on the practice field this spring.

“He's a different kid because he's already physically developed. It's not like 170 pounds. He's 190, he has tremendous confidence as we all saw in high school but that sometimes goes away when you go to college,” said Franklin. “That hasn't gone away. He has a lot of competitive confidence and he seems to learn well. Coach Galt mentioned that in the weight room and it's been the same way on the field. He learns well, and he's made plays so far.”

Playing alongside Wade in the secondary, senior safety Marcus Allen has been witness to Wade’s athleticism and knack for making plays this spring. Meeting with reporters following practice last week, Allen immediately pointed to the impact that Wade has already made.

“They really make a whole bunch of elusive plays, especially Lamont,” said Allen. “Lamont is very explosive. He has that niche to him, that knack to getting to the ball and everything. He’s going to be a very good player.”

Of course, the immediate impact in spring practice is not a guarantee of things to come. Cautioning that Wade still has plenty of room to develop, Franklin said future performances are very much within Wade’s own power as he continues to make strides.

“Up until this point it's been pretty good. You never know a week into this, does he hit the wall as the installations continue to build up? Haven't seen that yet, so it's been good,” said Franklin. “I think he'll put himself in position with a really good foundation this spring and be able to go into this summer with confidence and have a chance to legitimately compete.

"It's hard as a true freshman to show up in the summer and compete for a job. The fact that he's been here and has been able to train and learn the stuff it'll make him so much further ahead than those other guys when they come in.”

Demonstrating his desire and ability already, it's a head start expected to pay big dividends for Wade at the onset of his career with the Nittany Lions.