Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1518105
2 6 A P R I L 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M least from a talent perspective. How vi- able are they from a realism perspective? That gap will determine whether the of- fensive line climbs these rankings in the months ahead or falls to last place. The other big question up front is whether redshirt senior Nick Dawkins will enjoy a late-career rise and take the center position as his own. If he doesn't, the team has several options, but every- thing works better if Dawkins is the guy. The staff would surely prefer to bring five-star true freshman Cooper Cous- ins along at a reasonable pace and keep redshirt sophomore Olaivavega Ioane at right guard. 5. Wide Receiver Some of the numbers around the wide receivers room last season were stagger- ing. For example, top Penn State wideout KeAndre Lambert-Smith caught 62.4 percent of his targets last season. That figure ranked 20th among Big Ten receiv- ers with starter-level targets. Lambert-Smith was seventh with 85 targets as a junior last fall, meaning that at its best, the PSU passing game was in- efficient. He got those 85 targets despite seeing only 4 in his final three games. In other words, he was the passing offense for most of the season. The equally mercurial Dante Cephas was next on the team with 41 targets, tied for 31st in the conference. Cephas has since left via the portal and has been re- placed by senior transfer Julian Fleming, who tied Cephas with 41 targets last year while playing for Ohio State. What does all this mean? Mentally insert your favorite shrugging GIF here. This position group needs a reset this spring. Let's see who stands out in a crowded field in the weeks ahead. Defense 1. Safety The safeties room has the potential to transform Penn State's defense this year. Junior Kevin Winston Jr. is already a star based on his play last fall, and national recognition should follow in the months ahead. Fellow starter Jaylen Reed im- proved his coverage meaningfully last season and proved he could be a multi- dimensional weapon. While the 6-foot, 210-pound senior doesn't have the same superstar vibes as some of PSU's other key playmakers, he's an outstanding de- fensive back and a proven commodity. With the development of redshirt junior Zakee Wheatley into a starter-level player, the safety position has everything it needs to be the best unit on the team. And with talented young de- fenders like redshirt freshman DaKaari Nelson and sophomore King Mack waiting in the wings, the safeties' dominance may continue in the long term. 2. Defensive End If there's a position group that could challenge the safeties' ranking as Penn State's best, it's this one. Penn State's pro- jected starters — juniors Abdul Carter and Dani Dennis-Sutton — could both develop into su- perstars. Much of the conversation this spring has been about Carter, who is moving from linebacker to the de- fensive front. As a result, we haven't spo- ken much about Dennis-Sutton. Let's remedy that. The former five- star prospect has seemed like a potential game-wrecker from the moment he com- mitted to Penn State in the summer of 2021. His stiffness and lack of elite speed were hurdles to overcome, but thanks to his self-awareness and maniacal work ethic, he's made good on that promise so far. The upcoming season is his chance to put it all together and be the next elite edge rusher for the Lions. There's more projection at defensive end than there is at safety this spring, which is why the ranking looks the way it does. I'm not here to throw a wet blanket on the enthusiasm that greeted Carter's move to defensive end. It could work out great; we just haven't seen it in action yet. 3. Defensive Tackle Penn State grew up at this position group last season. Dvon Ellies enjoyed a late-career breakout, while Hakeem Beamon finally took advantage of his big frame, helping Penn State rank first in the FBS against the run in 2023 with averages of 75.5 yards allowed per game and 2.26 per carry. With both players back for their super senior seasons, PSU has a chance to Jaylen Reed made plays at every level as a junior last year. His 4 tackles for loss were the most of any Nittany Lion safety, and he also tied for the team lead with 2 interceptions. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL Dani Dennis-Sutton flashed his potential as a backup defensive end the past two seasons, totaling 6.5 sacks. He's set to ascend to the full-time starting lineup as a junior this fall. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL