Blue White Illustrated

September 2022

Penn State Sports Magazine

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3 4 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Penn State's 2019 class has produced several defensive difference-makers P enn State signed 23 high school players in its class of 2019, with the group sitting at No. 10 in the On3 Consensus Team Rankings that year. Some members are already off to the NFL, while others have transferred. A few are still on hand and ready to help the Nittany Lions this fall. Here is what they've accomplished so far and what lies ahead: Hakeem Beamon | DE | Beamon has played in 11 games in his career but missed the 2021 season for un- disclosed reasons. He's back in 2022, and while he's expected to see action primarily at defensive tackle, he's versatile enough to contribute at defensive end, too. Jaquan Brisker | S | Brisker was a first-team All-Ameri- can last season after recording 64 tack- les, 2 interceptions, 5 pass breakups and a fumble recovery. He was the leader of the Lions' defense. For his career, the Lackawanna College transfer played in 34 games and started 21 over three sea- sons. This past April, he was chosen by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the NFL Draft. Noah Cain | RB | Cain returned last year from an injury that cost him nearly all of the 2020 sea- son. He rushed for only 334 yards and 4 touchdowns and was not the same runner he had been as a freshman in 2019. After the season, Cain transferred to LSU. Joseph Appiah Darkwa | DT | Darkwa never saw any game action at Penn State. He transferred to Temple this past February. Lance Dixon | OLB | Dixon transferred to West Virginia before the 2021 season. He played in 10 games last fall with four starts. Ending the year with a 10-tackle performance in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl, Dixon will suit up for the Mountaineers again in 2022. John Dunmore | WR | Dunmore played in just one game for Penn State before transferring to Oregon State. He made 1 catch for 4 yards in his first season in Corvallis and will be back with the Beavers this fall. Dvon Ellies | DT | Ellies saw his role expand in the second half of the 2021 season after PJ Mustipher was forced out of action due to an injury. He finished with 15 tackles and a fumble recovery, while playing in all 13 games and starting one. This year, Ellies will either be a starter or an oft-used backup. Keaton Ellis | S | Ellis moved from cornerback to safety last season and finished with 18 tackles. He has 3 forced fumbles in his career and will be fighting for a first-team job this fall now that Brisker has moved on to the NFL. Devyn Ford | RB | Ford missed time with an injury and was mainly used as a reserve in 2021. He has 629 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns in his career, and figures to be a backup again this year. He's also contributed on kick returns and could reprise his starting role this fall. Daequan Hardy | CB | Hardy is a valuable member of Penn State's defense as the nickel and slot cor- ner. Coming off a 2021 season in which he had 16 tackles, 2 interceptions and 7 pass breakups last fall, Hardy will again Class of 2019 REVIEW Stopping Stopping Power Power Redshirt junior defensive end Adisa Isaac has only three sacks in his career to date, but he is eyeing a breakout year after missing the 2021 season with an injury. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL G R E G P I C K E L | G R E G. P I C K E L @ O N 3 . C O M

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