Penn State Sports Magazine
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of McDonogh School in Maryland was never about the player he was. Rather, that evaluation was all about the long game. His constant development, along with the departure of starting defensive ends Adisa Isaac and Chop Robinson following the 2023 season, has provided an oppor- tunity for Dennis-Sutton to shine. "Dani has just gotten better every sin- gle year," head coach James Franklin said. "His intensity every single day at practice [is great]. He's 270 pounds. He's physical, extremely physical. I think he's going to have a really big year for us. "He just understands how to play the position. He's played a ton of football for us already. We need him to take a step this year, and from everything we've seen so far, I think he will." 7. Drew Allar | Jr. | QB There are a half-dozen players ahead of Allar on this list, but if Penn State is go- ing to reach the College Football Playoff, the junior signal-caller will need to rank higher in a few months' time than he does now. As evidenced by his success at avoiding interceptions last year — he didn't throw his first pick until late October and tossed only 2 all season — Allar knows how to avoid costly mistakes. The flip side was that he averaged only 6.7 yards per passing attempt. PSU is seeking more explosiveness this fall, and Allar will be a critical part of that effort. Franklin said the quarterback's experience last year will help him strike the right bal- ance between caution and bravado. "He understands what to expect from opponents, what a weekly schedule is going to be, the duration of the season, all those things," Franklin said. "He's just much more comfortable and con- fident." 8. Jaylen Reed | Sr. | S Allen typically relied on linebackers to lead his defenses when he was head coach at Indiana. In his first year as Penn State's defensive coordinator, however, he'll be leaning into the strengths of his unit, and one of those is the safeties group. Possessing an advanced grasp of the defense, with an ability to implement it for himself and his teammates, Reed is fully capable of being the defense's quarterback and one of its most prolific contributors. "Jaylen Reed is extremely intelligent. That's his super- power," Franklin said. "His football IQ is really good, and he plays that way." After a solid junior year in which he finished fifth on the team with 46 tackles and added a pair of inter- ceptions, Penn State is counting on even more from Reed this time around. 9. Zane Durant | Jr. | DT Penn State was happy to welcome back senior tackles Dvon J-Thomas, Hakeem Beamon and Coziah Izzard this offsea- son to bolster the interior of the defensive line. It's Durant, though, who possesses the highest ceiling of that group. Recognizing as much, Allen described the makings of a player with extraordi- nary athleticism and a leadership skill set to match it. "He's just powerful. He's so athletic and explosive, and he's got a great, great motor," Allen told the Big Ten Network. "What I've seen out of him this year is just growth. "He's always been a really good player, but he's just taking his game to another level, taking his leadership to another level, and that's what we expect from a guy who's been here for three years." 10. Tony Rojas | So. | LB Asked earlier this summer to name a potential breakout player on defense this season, J-Thomas needed no time to con- sider the options. The super senior de- fensive tackle quickly pointed to Rojas, a former four-star linebacker prospect who saw limited action as a true freshman but who has captured the imagination of Penn State fans hoping to witness the emergence of Linebacker U's next great player. "I think one of the top guys, for sure, is going to be Tony Rojas," J-Thomas said. "He had kind of a quieter role last year, but I think this year he's really going to take over and come into his own as a line- backer." The Penn State football program shares the sentiment. Playing in a reserve role behind Carter for most of the 2023 cam- paign, Rojas gained a path to the starting lineup when Carter moved to defensive Safety Jaylen Reed finished as the Lions' fifth-leading tackler last year with 46 stops and received honorable mention All-Big Ten honors. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL