Penn State Sports Magazine
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S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 4 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M P enn State is deep into preseason camp and will soon turn its full at- tention to the team's season-open- ing visit to West Virginia on Aug. 31. The moment calls for a broader understanding of who and what this Nittany Lion team is, so we're ranking its top 25 players based on ability and importance. This isn't an exact science. However, based on prior performances and off- season buzz, there is more than enough data to make some determinations about where players stand. 1. Abdul Carter | Jr. | DE At first, the question was whether Carter could make a seamless transition from linebacker to defensive end. Playing his first two seasons at Penn State off the line of scrimmage, he flashed his talent and proved to be an irreplaceable puz- zle piece for former coordinator Manny Diaz. Now, Carter's transition is no lon- ger the subject of much debate. Having spent nearly eight months learning to play on the line, he's poised to become a versatile performer capable of making splash plays both as an edge rusher and linebacker. "I feel like he's in a space right now where he's starting to understand it even more," defensive line coach Deion Barnes said. "The violence is always there. The technique is something that he continues to improve on. He's in an improvement stage. He's played a lot of football, so he's going to understand what you're talking about when you tell him. But I think he's at that moment right now where he's all the way locked in, listening to everything and just trying to improve every day." Already being discussed as Penn State's next first-round NFL Draft selection, Carter is ready for takeoff. 2. Nicholas Singleton | Jr. | RB The question of Singleton's place on this list was complicated by his 2023 sea- son. He had won Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors after rushing for 1,061 yards and 12 touchdowns on 156 carries in 2022, but he gained fewer yards (752) and had fewer scores (8) on more carries (171) as a sophomore. Running backs coach Ja'Juan Seider couldn't help but hear the chatter, and he's been pushing back on it throughout the offseason. "Everybody is talking about Nick Sin- gleton not having 1,000 yards rushing," Seider said. "Well, they never talk about him catching balls for almost 500 yards. You saw [instances] of him working on the other aspects of his game. It's going to translate even after he leaves Penn State." This is the essence of the Singleton equation, and it's why he's ranked slightly ahead of fellow running back Kaytron Allen here. Allen has a higher floor than his classmate because he's better at run- ning between the tackles. But that's not where new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki is headed with Singleton. The coaches plan to get the ball to him in space, whether as a receiving threat or on faster- developing runs outside the tackles. This is where Singleton's ceiling comes into play. He's a key part of the Lions' bid for a more explosive offense this fall. 3. Kevin Winston Jr. | Jr. | S Nothing about Winston's ascent from backup to starter last season was flashy. Rather, he simply proved himself too tal- ented and consistent to keep off the field. Winston paid off that confidence with an outstanding sophomore campaign. Pro Football Focus rated his overall per- formance second only to Chop Robinson, the Nittany Lions' first-round NFL Draft selection in April, awarding him an 89.2 defensive grade in a year in which he led the team with 60 tackles. Over the past eight months, Winston has thoroughly impressed his new de- fensive coordinator, Tom Allen. "I don't know if I've been around a guy that is as hard on himself and prac- tices harder," Allen said. "He does jog- throughs with focus and energy and at- tention to detail. He kind of practices pissed off. If you aren't up to it, you're going to hear it from him. "I love it. The dude is unbelievable. I think he's really, really special. Not just physically, but in all the things I know make a guy special at the next level." 4. Kaytron Allen | Jr. | RB Allen ran for 902 yards and 6 touch- downs on 172 carries last season. He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors and was a model of consistency, but be- cause of the team's offensive struggles in several of its biggest games, Allen and Singleton received a lukewarm recep- tion nationally. This summer, Seider has worked to correct that narrative. "It's laughable," he said. "If you're really a fan and you know ball, you know that Nick and Kaytron deserve every ranking that comes out. Show me another team that has two elite running backs shar- ing the backfield and they're still putting up great numbers. When it's all said and done, the scouts know who can play." Allen is expected to demonstrate that ability in tandem with Singleton, forming a duo that PSU plans to lean on heavily. 5. Tyler Warren | Sr. | TE More than a year ago, Penn State tight ends coach Ty Howle described War- ren as a player with unique ball skills and excellent athleticism. The former high school quarterback had been more of a role-player to that point in his career, but Howle suggested his time was coming. That appraisal turned out to be right. Sharing time with Theo Johnson last sea- son, Warren totaled 34 catches for 422 yards and 7 touchdowns. Heading into his final campaign, he has 11 TDs and 49 career catches, most recently accumulat- ing 127 receiving yards in the Peach Bowl. With Johnson off to the NFL, the stage now belongs to Warren, and he appears poised to seize it. "I think he's got a shot to go down as one of the best we've had at that position," strength coach Chuck Losey said. "I know it's always been a split between talking about Theo and him throughout the past few years, but that's what excites me most about Tyler this year. He's the guy going in, and everybody's talking about him." 6. Dani Dennis-Sutton | Jr. | DE Dennis-Sutton's five-star grade in the On3 Industry Ranking coming out One of Penn State's most dynamic linebackers the past two seasons, Abdul Carter has now been stationed at defensive end and will be striving to add to his career total of 11 sacks. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL