Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1505736
S E P T E M B E R 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 No. 1 Olumuyiwa Fashanu | Jr. | OT Fashanu would have been the first Nit- tany Lion off the board in the NFL Draft this past April had he opted to end his college career early. Despite having made only nine starts at Penn State, he was be- ing touted as a certain first-rounder. Instead, Fashanu delayed his entry into the league, choosing to spend another season at PSU in hope of furthering his development before making the leap. Given his status as an elite pro pros- pect at one of the game's most im- portant positions — he was the fourth overall pick in analyst Jordan Reid's mock draft for ESPN in July — the former four- star standout from Waldorf, Md., is an easy choice for the top spot on this list. Staying healthy will be a priority for Fashanu after he missed the final five games of the 2022 campaign with an un- disclosed injury. But he's expected to be one of Penn State's primary offensive assets in his role protecting sophomore quarterback Drew Allar's blind side. No. 2 Kalen King | Jr. | CB Joey Porter Jr. grabbed the NFL's atten- tion and parlayed a strong performance in his three starting seasons into a spot in the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2023 draft class. And yet, there was a case to be made last year that King had the more productive season. With op- posing quarterbacks reluctant to test Porter, King finished with 21 passes defended (3 interceptions, 18 break- ups). It was the most breakups in the Big Ten and third-most in the FBS. King earned third-team All-Big Ten notice, with a smattering of second- and third-team All-America honors thrown in. Supremely talented and armed with the confident attitude that the position requires, he will have an opportunity to do even more this fall. No. 3 Nick Singleton | So. | RB The former five-star prospect from Shillington, Pa., wasted no time estab- lishing himself as one of the best players in college football. With 1,061 rushing yards and 12 touch- downs as a true freshman, Singleton transformed Penn State's offense. Un- able to run the ball effectively in the two seasons that preceded his arrival, the Lions suddenly found themselves with the ability to score at any moment, and from any spot on the field, thanks to the speedy newcomer. There are certainly areas in which he can improve as a sophomore, but Single- ton, whose average of 6.8 yards per carry ranked second in the league last year, has already shown a big-play ability that forces opposing defensive coordinators to pay him constant attention. Coming into the 2023 season, he's among the top running backs in the nation. No. 4 Chop Robinson | Jr. | DE Robinson made two moves last year: from Maryland to Penn State and from outside linebacker to defensive end. He didn't start for the Nittany Lions after bidding the Terrapins farewell the previ- ous spring, but he still finished third on the team with 10 tackles for loss and sec- ond with 5.5 sacks. Now, Robinson is getting set to join the starting lineup. At 6-foot-3, 250 pounds — up 8 pounds from his weight a year ago — he's poised to make an even bigger im- pact than he did as a sophomore when he won honorable mention All-Big Ten notice. He recently appeared as the No. 21 overall pick in Jordan Reid's 2024 mock draft for ESPN. No. 5 Johnny Dixon | Sr. | CB Dixon was ready to contribute in his first season at Penn State after transfer- ring from South Carolina ahead of the 2021 campaign. He saw action in 12 games as a reserve that year, finishing with 10 tackles and 2 pass breakups. His follow-up with the Nittany Lions in 2022 demonstrated even more potential. Dixon was an honorable mention All-Big Ten pick, starting six games while mak- ing 23 tackles, including 4.5 for loss and 3 sacks. He totaled 10 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, a forced fumble and a quar- terback hurry. Having returned for a fifth season of college ball, Dixon is set to pair with Kalen King to form one of the game's best cor- nerback duos. No. 6 Curtis Jacobs | Jr. | LB The 2022 season didn't start as produc- tively as Jacobs might have liked. He had switched from the Sam to the Will posi- tion and needed time to adjust. But Jacobs found his stride in the sec- ond half of the campaign. His 14 tack- les against Minnesota on Oct. 22 were a season-high, and he finished with strong performances against Rutgers in Novem- ber and again in the Rose Bowl. Of his 5 tackles in the Lions' 35-21 win over Utah, 2 were sacks. For the season, Jacobs totaled 52 tackles to rank third on the team. Included in that total were 7.5 tackles for loss and 4 sacks, and he also had 2 fumble recoveries, 2 pass breakups and a touchdown on an inter- ception return against Michigan. Now entering his fourth season as a Nittany Lion, Jacobs is expected to shine. No. 7 Abdul Carter | So. | LB Carter isn't going to catch anyone by surprise after his sterling debut as a Nittany Lion. Playing in all 13 games, he ranked second on the team in both total tackles (64) and tackles for loss (10.5). He led PSU with 6.5 sacks, while also record- ing 2 forced fumbles, 4 pass breakups and 5 quarterback hurries. Those numbers offered a statisti- cal representation of the kind of havoc he causes on the field. Standing 6-3, 250 pounds after a full year in Penn State's strength and conditioning program, the preseason Butkus Award watch list can-