When Penn State tight end Luke Reynolds took a fake-punt snap at Minnesota in late November, he made one of the most critical plays of Penn State’s 2024 season. Without his 32-yard gain on 4th-and-1, the Nittany Lions easily could have surrendered a game-winning drive to the Golden Gophers. Instead, they won 26-25 to continue building their College Football Playoff resume.
Now, Reynolds is seeking to build on that moment of a standout true freshman season while also filling a role vacated by All-America tight end Tyler Warren. There’s likely no replacing Warren’s unmatched versatility and impact, but Reynolds, one of the prizes of Penn State’s 2024 recruiting class, is primed to lead a young, dynamic tight end room in 2025.
Reynolds reflects on his freshman season
A limited number of true freshmen have seen consistent playing time under Penn State coach James Franklin. In 2024, Reynolds was one of those few players. Reynolds, the 247Sports Composite’s No. 5 tight end in the 2024 class, finished the season with nine receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown, which came against Purdue. In September, Franklin officially gave the tight end his “green light” to play full-time after the season-ending injury to fellow tight end Andrew Rappleyea.
“Luke is doing really well. He’s one of these guys, he showed up on campus, and he was very driven and motivated to play,” Franklin said at the time. “I’ve been a real big fan of Luke’s and his approach. We’ve got a ton of guys that I think could play as true freshmen, but the guys that have played I think are showing that they’re willing to make the type of sacrifices and commitments to actually do it.”
Reynolds’ chances with the football were limited, as Warren became the centerpiece of Penn State’s passing game, but he shined when called upon. Reynolds’ 32-yard rush on the fake punt against Minnesota was easily the highlight of his season. Reynolds said when the play first happened, he would watch it “probably every day of the week,” but he’s now focused on the work in front of him.
“Wish I had more chances, but I was working with [Warren], so I think my mindset throughout that season was just doing my job, knowing Tyler was that guy. He’s a terrific player,” Reynolds said last week. “Just going in there, making sure that I’m crossing the Ts, dotting the Is.”
For most top recruits at skill positions, blocking is a significant challenge when transitioning from high school to college. Reynolds, a five-star prospect by 247Sports, joined an offense that put a premium on tight ends and wide receivers blocking for one of the nation’s top rushing attacks, a major adjustment for his freshman season.
“I had maybe three blocks last year, my high school senior year, and that was definitely a big change,” Reynolds said. “I got to be versatile, be able to block big D-ends up front, so it was a big change. But [tight ends coach Ty Howle] had me prepared for it. … I started to really appreciate it throughout the season, just because you see, when we really execute on blocking, what our running backs were able to do, all the distortion we were able to make.”
Following Tyler Warren in Penn State’s offense
Warren ranks first in Penn State history for total touchdowns (22) and third in receiving yards (1,414) by a tight end. In 2024, he was the engine of the Nittany Lions’ passing game, a willing blocker comfortable with running, throwing, snapping and even punting the football. With a group of young tight ends seeking to replace Warren’s production in 2025, Reynolds is confident in how his unit will continue.
“We’ve got a phenomenal tight end room, phenomenal coaching staff along with it, we’re all trying to get better,” Reynolds said. “I’ve got a whole lot of confidence in everyone.”
Reynolds projects among the early favorites to lead Penn State’s 2025 tight end room along with Khalil Dinkins and Rappleyea. Dinkins, a redshirt senior who caught two touchdown passes last season, will be the veteran in the room. When he’s healthy, Rappelyea will compete for the starting job he held. Perhaps the biggest wild card at tight end is true freshman Andrew Olesh, who flipped from Michigan to Penn State in December.
“He’s a great kid. He’s gonna be a great player here. Got a great skill set,” Reynolds said. “I’ve been trying to guide Andrew through his own process. I don’t want to kind of control him, just because that’s why I really respect Tyler. He kind of let me feel it out first, and then he came in and started being a leader and role model. … It’s exciting, just letting him kind of feel it out first, but also giving him the guidance that he needs.”
When it comes to replacing Warren’s do-it-all production, Reynolds noted he’s willing to do anything the team needs to get on the field more. But in reality, it’s going to take more than one Penn State tight end to replace Warren. With the versatile star off to the NFL, there will be a collection of first- and second-year tight ends seeking to prove themselves and become reliable weapons in Andy Kotelnicki’s offense.
“I wouldn’t say there’s one leader in the room right now. I think we all came to the conclusion as a group that we all were gonna have to step up, we’ve got big shoes to fill, a lot of experience,” Reynolds said. “A lot of snaps on the field that are gonna be dispersed somewhere else. But we’re all just stepping up, helping each other out, competing and pushing each other. It’ll work out in the end.”
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