Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1529598
5 4 D E C E M B E R 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 Aliciene is more of a long-term deal. He's approaching 6-8 and recently checked in at 255 pounds. He moves well for his size, but as with Eagan Boyer and Garrett Sexton in the 2024 class, the physical aspect should result in a red- shirt season. Defensive Line Penn State's defensive line will look different in the spring, and four new faces will try to help fill the void in Janu- ary. Of course, the Nittany Lions are ex- pected to be active in the transfer portal to help patch holes, but right now all but one of the program's defensive line com- mits will be on campus in the spring. Randy Adirika, Yvan Kemajou, Jayden Woods and Dayshaun Burnett are all expected to be January enrollees. Woods received a four-star grade from On3, while the others are three-star pros- pects. Adirika profiles as an inside guy all the way, and while Kemajou should eventually get there, he'll likely start out on the edge. Woods is strictly a de- fensive end. Burnett was a linebacker at one point, but he'll have a hand in the dirt as well. The Impact: Position coach Deion Barnes will have a makeover ahead of him either way, with at least three de- fensive tackles and an edge rusher set to exhaust their eligibility. Penn State is still trying to work through a gray area with Smith Vilbert's status for next sea- son, so it's possible he will return even though he's listed as a super senior this fall. Defensive tackles Dvon J-Thomas, Coziah Izzard and Amin Vanover are all finished after the 2024 season, and Ha- keem Beamon has already left the team. Defensive ends Abdul Carter and Dani Dennis-Sutton and tackle Zane Durant, all juniors, will have decisions to make. It's clear that the personnel next year will look very different than what we've seen in 2024. Breaking through as a freshman defensive tackle is incredibly hard. Adirika has had a very good se- nior season at Miami Central with 22 tackles for loss and 6 sacks, but at 280 pounds he will still need some time in the weight room and on the field. Freshman Xavier Gilliam, whom the staff really likes, has only played in one game to date in his first year. That's a reference point worth remembering. Kemajou has also been terrific for an undefeated Paint Branch squad. Through eight games, he had registered 49 tackles, including 9 tackles for loss and 3 sacks. Still, he's quite raw, and at around 235 pounds, he'll likely start his career as a defensive end and eventually move down. Woods and Burnett are both interest- ing. They have similar builds at right around 6-3, 235, though Woods pos- sesses slightly better length. Woods is a very good player with 66 tackles and 5.5 sacks at Mill Valley (Kan.) High this season, but he'll be making a signifi- cant leap to the Big Ten. Burnett is in a similar boat from a competition stand- point. Imani Christian is 10-0, but the Pittsburgh powerhouse has mostly overwhelmed inferior teams. Burnett has still been excellent, especially as a tight end. There's not a ton of early-impact pro- jection based on what we expect out of this pair versus what we've seen with current freshmen Max Granville and Jaylen Harvey. The subplot, though, is interesting in that Penn State keeps bringing in (relatively) shorter defen- sive ends who are closer to playing than the 6-foot-6 guys who will take more time to fill out and hopefully eventually reach their ceiling. It doesn't necessar- ily mean that it's the better route, but it's one that lends itself to a quicker re- stocking than what we saw under previ- ous position coach John Scott. Linebacker Penn State isn't expected to see a ton of turnover at linebacker; senior Tyler Elsdon is the only Nittany Lion who will exhaust his eligibility at the end of the 2024 season at that position. Getting redshirt sophomore Keon Wylie back from a season-ending injury will be a boost, and the Nittany Lions will add four-star prospect Alex Tatsch At 6-foot-3, 280 pounds, Miami Central High defensive lineman Randy Adirika will get a head start on his development in the weight room and on the field as a spring enrollee. PHOTO BY RYAN SNYDER