Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1378330
entire fall campaign, Isaac should be able to excel at Shaka Toney's weakside defensive end position. Beamon played in eight games last season. He totaled just seven tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in limited action, but he came on strong in the Lions' 6nal four games. What really impressed me about Beamon was his athleticism and his in- side pass rush from the three-technique defensive tackle position. In many ways, he reminds me of Kevin Givens. And in addition to 6tting in at the three-tech- nique spot, Beamon can also rush the passer from the strongside defensive end position, so there's a role for him in many down-and-distance situations. On o8ense, I see three players with a very good chance of putting together breakout seasons this fall: Washington, guard Juice Scruggs and tight end Theo Johnson. When Scruggs arrived on Penn State's campus in June 2018, I was told by pro- gram insiders that he had NFL potential at guard or center if he stayed healthy. Unfortunately, he didn't stay healthy. Scruggs su8ered serious back injuries in a car accident in March 2019. I thought at the time that his football career was probably over. Boy, was I wrong. In the 6nal four games of the 2020 season, play- ing the right guard spot, Scruggs looked like the team's best o8ensive lineman. "At the end of least season, in the 6nal four or 6ve games, normally o8ensive linemen don't jump out at you in the broadcasting booth," Ham said. "You [o9en] get noticed for holding someone, but he's very athletic and over 300 pounds, and he's able to pull and get to the second level to get to that linebacker. He's very athletic, his body control is outstanding and his pass protection is excellent. Scruggs has a chance to be a really good o8ensive lineman this year." Down the line, I think Scruggs has All- Big Ten potential. As for Johnson, the main reason why I believe he will have a breakout season is because he surprised me with the way he blocked in the 6nal four games last year. I knew that the 6-6, 250-pound 7ex tight end from Canada could stretch the 6eld in the passing game, but I never ex- pected him to be such an e8ective blocker as a freshman last fall. Johnson was the best blocking freshman I've seen at Penn State since Kyle Brady in 1991. Ham, too, was impressed. "Johnson, I feel, is an outstanding blocker," he said. "Because of the depth at tight end, you're going to see forma- tions out there this fall where you see two tight ends and sometimes even three tight ends as well. OFFENSE LT Rasheed Walker Bryce E8ner Olu Fashanu LG Des Holmes Sal Wormley Anthony Whigan Eric Wilson* C Mike Miranda Nick Dawkins Bryce E8ner RG Juice Scruggs Sal Wormley Nick Dawkins RT Caedan Wallace Jimmy Christ Landon Tengwall TE Brenton Strange Theo Johnson Tyler Warren WR Jahan Dotson Daniel George Winston Eubanks Marquis Wilson WR Parker Washington Jaden Dottin Norval Black WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith Malick Meiga Cam Sullivan-Brown QB Sean Cli8ord Ta'Quan Roberson Christian Veilleux RB Noah Cain Keyvone Lee Devyn Ford Caziah Holmes John Lovett DEFENSE DE Arnold Ebiketie Smith Vilbert Amin Vanover Jesse Luketa 3-tech. DT Derrick Tangelo Hakeem Beamon Dvon Ellies Coziah Izzard 1-tech. DT P.J. Mustipher Fred Hansard Dvon Ellies Cole Brevard DE Adisa Isaac Nick Tarburton Zuriah Fisher Sam OLB Curtis Jacobs Charlie Katshir MLB Ellis Brooks Jesse Luketa Charlie Katshir Tyler Elsdon Kobe King Will OLB Brandon Smith Charlie Katshir Jesse Luketa CB Tariq Castro-Fields Johnny Dixon Kalen King Daequan Hardy CB Joey Porter Jr. Kalen King Keaton Ellis BS Jaquan Brisker Tyler Rudolph Enzo Jennings FS Ji'Ayir Brown Keaton Ellis Jonathan Sutherland Nickel Keaton Ellis Johnny Dixon Kalen King * Enrolled at Penn State in May| ** Availability this spring uncertain due to injury P H I L G R O S Z ' S O F F - S E A S O N D E P T H C H A R T O F F E N S E D E F E N S E SEE CORNER PAGE 31 OR OR OR OR OR OR OR OR OR OR OR OR OR