Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1476228
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2 3 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Zack Kuntz | TE | Kuntz had 1 catch for the Lions before transferring to Old Dominion. In 2021, he was a first-team All-Conference USA selection after totaling 73 receptions for 692 yards and 5 touchdowns. Will Levis | QB | Levis is being touted as a possible first- round NFL Draft pick after a fine first year at Kentucky. He transferred to the Wildcats last year after being used mostly as a running option at Penn State. Levis threw for 2,826 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2021, and is viewed as one of the na- tion's top quarterbacks heading into the 2022 season. Jesse Luketa | LB | Luketa thrived as a defensive end in 2021, earning third-team All-Big Ten no- tice after making 61 tackles (8.5 for loss). Before that, he was a solid middle line- backer for Penn State. He was a seventh- round pick of the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL Draft this past April. Jordan Miner | CB | Miner was forced to medically retire in August 2018 after being diagnosed with a heart condition. PJ Mustipher | DT | Mustipher is back for his super senior year and will be a force in the middle of the Penn State defense. He earned second- team All-Big Ten honors last year despite missing half of the season after suffering a knee injury at Iowa. Mustipher has 107 tackles and 3 sacks so far and should be ready for the Lions' opener at Purdue. Odafe Oweh | DE | Oweh made a career-high 38 tackles (6.5 for loss) in 2020 to earn first-team Coaches All-Big Ten honors. He recorded 7 career sacks and is now preparing for his second season with the Baltimore Ravens. Micah Parsons | OLB | Fans will always be left to wonder what Parsons would have done in 2020 if he hadn't opted out of the COVID-delayed season. The 2019 All-American made 119 tackles and recorded 6.5 sacks during his two seaons with the Lions. In his first sea- son with the Dallas Cowboys, he was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, as well as an All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection. Jake Pinegar | K | Pinegar kicked a 43-yard field goal in the Outback Bowl but otherwise had a quiet 2021 season after being replaced by Jordan Stout as the Lions' kicker. Before last season, he made 138 extra points and 37 field goals. With Stout off to the NFL, Pinegar has an opportunity to return to his starting role in 2022. Juice Scruggs | C/G | Scruggs overcame a serious back injury he sustained in a 2019 car accident and has been a key contributor to the offensive line since the end of the 2020 season. He started three games at center and 10 at guard last fall and was an honorable men- tion All-Big Ten pick at the latter posi- tion. He will be the Lions' starting center this fall. Justin Shorter | WR | Shorter only caught 15 passes for 157 yards in two seasons at Penn State despite his lofty ranking. He caught 66 passes for 818 yards and 6 touchdowns at Florida the past two years and will be back with the Gators this fall. Ricky Slade | RB | After recording 92 carries for 471 yards and 8 touchdowns in a Penn State uni- form, Slade transferred to Old Dominion ahead of the 2020 season. He never played for the Monarchs, however, and is no lon- ger pursuing football. Nick Tarburton | DE | Tarburton was billed as a co-starter at defensive end in 2021 and could earn the job outright this year. Injuries hindered his progress earlier in his career, but last year he played in all 13 games and finished with 30 tackles, a sack and a fumble re- covery. Rasheed Walker | OT | Walker was a third-team All-Big Ten pick in 2020 and 2021. He started 32 games in blue and white, mostly at left tackle, and was a seventh-round pick of the Green Bay Packers this past April. ■ Top Contributor To Date WR JAHAN DOTSON: It feels wrong not to pick Parsons here, but Dotson's final season lifts him to the top spot, cementing his place on the list of the program's all-time best receivers. Unsung Hero LB JESSE LUKETA: Showing off his impres- sive versatility, Luketa started games for the Nittany Lions at middle linebacker and defen- sive end in his final college season. Ready To Make An Impact This Fall K JAKE PINEGAR: Yes, he's already made an impact. But now that he's expected to reprise his starting role, Pinegar must provide the same kind of reliability that he did before relinquishing the position to Jordan Stout last year. R E P O R T C A R D : Players In Class: 23 On3 Team Ranking: No. 5 Players Still At Penn State: 6 If one were to re-rank this group to account for class-wide production, it would not make the top five. Dot- son, Parsons and Freiermuth were stars, Walker was reliable, Mustipher is a standout, and a few others could have bigger roles in 2022. But there were simply too many misses, and a couple of the hits ended up benefit- ting other schools. B- Redshirt senior Juice Scruggs started at both guard and center last season, and is expected to play the latter position this fall for the Lions. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL