Penn State supporters know all about wide receiver Koby Howard, but he’s a stranger to the national media and to casual fans. The sophomore was buried on the depth chart last season under James Franklin as a run-of-the-mill four-star prospect.
Nobody could have expected him to have star potential based on what we saw last year, but Howard showed extreme flashes in the team’s first game this season. He caught six balls for 161 yards and a touchdown in about three quarters of work against Marshall, putting up one of the best wide receiver performances of the week.
Pro Football Network released the highest wideout grades from the opening week of action, and Howard was ranked at No. 2 with a 96.1 grade. This placed him right below Miami standout Malachi
Toney, and above Ohio State phenom Jeremiah Smith.
Our @PFN365 highest-graded WRs from Week 1:
— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) September 6, 2026
Malachi Toney, Miami: 98.4
Koby Howard, Penn State: 96.1
KJ Duff, Rutgers: 95.6
Jaylen Hampton, Charlotte: 95.4
Cooper Hoch, San Jose State: 95.3
Gavin Freeman, Baylor: 93.6
Jeremiah McClellan, Oregon: 92.7
Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State:… pic.twitter.com/FwtLuqDUQ5
Smith is widely considered to be the best receiver in the nation, and Toney isn’t too far behind him. The breakout game from Howard gave the world a glimpse at just how good he can be if he keeps developing at this rate.
None of the three receivers mentioned played a world beater in Week 1, so lack of competition can’t be used as a justification for Howard’s impressive grade. He showed an impressive skill set that can be dangerous against any team if he’s peppered with targets and given a chance to produce.
It’s been a long time since there has been hype around a Penn State receiver, so Howard is carrying a heavy load on his shoulders. It will be a game changer for the Nittany Lions if their sophomore can keep up this pace and prove that the season opener wasn’t just fool’s gold.
Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X and Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Penn State’s Koby Howard earns elite grade with Week 1 performance
