Penn State Sports Magazine
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J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 2 3 2 9 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M With the spring transfer portal closed and practice concluded, Penn State is in true offseason mode. Here's a look at how the Nittany Lions' defen- sive position groups stack up heading into the summer: 1. DEFENSIVE END Junior Chop Robinson was mostly quiet during the Blue-White Game but was magnificent in the few plays he did make. His positional skills are catching up quickly to his physical attributes. He is listed at 6-foot-3, 253 pounds, an 11-pound gain from his playing weight last year, and he might be unstoppable in the fall if he takes a step forward as a run defender. At the opposite spot, senior Adisa Isaac may have the starting job locked down, but sophomore Dani Dennis-Sutton shows the same unblockable characteristics as Robinson. Beyond those three, junior Amin Vanover can make a case as the most underrated player on the team. He's as disruptive as his teammates but gets fewer headlines. Next to him is redshirt junior Zuriah Fisher, who also stood out in the spring game. You know you have a special group when you go five-deep at a position before the freshmen even get on campus. 2. SAFETY This group has four starter-level players, each of whom has a valuable skill to add. Junior Jaylen Reed brings physicality in underneath coverage, and fifth-year senior Keaton Ellis has a good blend of coverage skills and improved awareness to make plays. Meanwhile, bruising sophomore Kevin Winston Jr. has the size and movement skills to be an eraser in the run game, while redshirt sopho- more Zakee Wheatley is a deep free safety specialist. The lines between starter and backup, field and boundary, can all be blurred with this group. 3. LINEBACKER Everyone knew that January enrollees Ta'Mere Robinson and Tony Rojas had potential, but few expected the four-star freshman duo to progress so quickly. While Robinson, who missed his final high school season with a knee injury, won't be expected to play a big role in Year 1, Rojas is another story. After having a remarkably productive spring, the first-year player has a chance to make the two-deep this fall. Sophomore Abdul Carter and junior Curtis Jacobs highlight a talented group with a good mix of skills. Jacobs has the flexibility to play all three line- backer positions (in sub-packages, mind you), which helps spread the talent. With the addition of Rojas, this group suddenly has few holes. 4. CORNERBACK Attrition strikes quickly in college football, and no position group on Penn State's roster was hit harder in the offseason than this one. A year ago, the Nittany Lions had four trustworthy cornerbacks. Since then, Joey Porter Jr. has left for the NFL, and one of the team's key transfer acquisitions, senior Storm Duck, is headed to Louisville after spending just one semester at PSU. In the wake of Duck's departure, the decision by cornerbacks coach Terry Smith to bring then-freshman Cam Miller along quickly last season looks fortuitous. While the team's projected starters, junior Kalen King and se- nior Johnny Dixon, are as good as they come, the Lions need depth. As talented as they might be, Miller and freshman Elliot Washington are sure to experience growing pains. Miller has all the talent necessary and could take a big leap next fall, so that can soften the blow and give Penn State three solid outside cornerbacks. The Lions also landed a transfer in May when former Mississippi State cornerback Audavion Collins announced that he was headed to PSU. Collins will be a redshirt freshman this fall. One other potential solution could be senior slot cornerback Daequan Hardy. Can he play outside? If he can, he could help PSU bide its time until Miller proves he's ready. 5. DEFENSIVE TACKLE It's hard to judge this position group coming out of spring practice. A few veterans were out of action, and the Nittany Lions' outlook here will be im- pacted by the arrival this summer of Old Dominion transfer Alonzo Ford. On a positive note, redshirt junior Coziah Izzard could be on his way to a breakout year in the fall after flashing his potential the past two seasons. Of course, the Lions will need more than just occasional impact plays. A breakout season happens when a player consistently produces such plays, and we've yet to see Izzard do that. Meanwhile, redshirt senior Hakeem Beamon didn't participate in spring practice. From his availability to his weight (256 pounds), Beamon doesn't inspire confidence, even though he started 12 games last fall. Sophomore Zane Durant could solve many problems by taking a big step forward in the months ahead. While he's expected to do that, less is known about redshirt freshman Kaleb Artis. The 6-4, 315-pound Artis won some admirers this spring, showing excellent strength and mobility during the Blue-White Game. His place in the rotation could grow quickly this fall if he consistently cleans up some youthful mistakes in his game and finds his gap. — Thomas Frank Carr Ranking Penn State's Defensive Position Groups Coziah Izzard has shown the potential to fortify Penn State's defensive line after making 4 tackles for loss in nine games as a redshirt sophomore. PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE