Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1538407
S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 5 3 9 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M going to be healthy, he's going to be a year older, he's going to be a year more experienced. I think he's definitely got star power." 3. Zuriah Fisher | DE A super senior who arrived as part of the 2020 recruiting class, Fisher has been in the Penn State program for quite some time. He's a talented defensive end, but injuries have held him back. He played in only two games as a red- shirt sophomore in 2022 and missed the entire '24 season after getting hurt in spring practice. Penn State is hopeful those problems are behind him. Indeed, Franklin singled out the 6-3, 258-pound Fisher earlier this year as a player with breakout po- tential. "Within our program, there's a lot of confidence that Fish has got a chance to have a big year," Franklin said. "He's one of those guys that I don't think anybody is talking about right now, outside of the program, based on just not seeing him recently." In this context, breakout doesn't nec- essarily mean he's headed for an All-Big Ten season, but Fisher could be a solid contributor who meets Penn State's standard at defensive end. For people who haven't been playing close atten- tion to the Nittany Lions, he would ap- pear to come out of nowhere. 4. Jaylen Harvey | DE It's difficult at this stage to pick any single defensive end to emerge from the pack as a replacement for injured red- shirt freshman Max Granville. All of the contenders for a role in the edge-rushing rotation are equally talented. Given the lack of clear separation, we're leaning toward the one with the most game reps. We saw Harvey get into three games as a true freshman last year, seeing action against Kent State, Purdue and Mary- land while preserving his redshirt status. Harvey has good quickness to threaten the edge, but he's a stocky pass rusher at 6-2, 251 pounds. While he was being recruited, there was even talk about a potential move to defensive tackle. That natural size and bulk will help Harvey as a run defender, which is a very underrated aspect of the conversation when discussing defensive ends. While sacks and pressure are paramount, coaches won't use players on regular downs if they aren't effective in both phases of defense. Harvey will have to fight off a talented crop of teammates, but he offers the best blend of skills and experience. 5. Zakee Wheatley | S Wheatley has flashed multiple times in his career but hasn't had a chance to be "the" guy in the Penn State secondary. He was a notable redshirt freshman who produced turnovers, but then he was ef- fectively benched by former defensive coordinator Manny Diaz in 2023. Last season, he played second fiddle to Jay- len Reed. Now, with his redshirt senior season coming up, it's his turn to shine. Adding to the optimism around Wheatley's potential this fall, Knowles' defense builds its strategy around safe- ties, particularly the middle field safety. While we still don't know the full texture and scope of Knowles' revamp, there's strong evidence that Wheatley is at the center of his plans. Finally, Wheatley is motivated to put everything he has into his final season. There's never been any reason for the 6-2, 200-pounder to have any holes in his game. He's big enough to be strong against the run, and he's instinctive as a coverage defender. Wheatley is reminiscent of former PSU safety Ji'Ayir Brown, a third-team All-Big Ten performer as a senior who parlayed his ball-hawking career at PSU into a starting role with the San Fran- cisco 49ers. Brown wasn't Penn State's most elite athlete, but he was a smart player who totaled 10 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries and 3 forced fumbles during his tenure with the Nittany Li- ons. Wheatley could have a similar final season if he can put all of his cards on the table. ■ Defensive end Jaylen Harvey saw action in three games as a true freshman in 2024, totaling 33 snaps in appearances against Kent State, Purdue and Maryland. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS