Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1538407
2 2 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M of rising seniors who could easily have moved on to the NFL. Quarterback Drew Allar and running backs Nicholas Sin- gleton and Kaytron Allen are the bold- face names, but the Lions also returned offensive tackle Drew Shelton, defensive linemen Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zane Durant, and safety Zakee Wheatley. In addition, they supplemented their corps of elite players by making judi- cious use of the transfer portal, wel- coming senior receivers Trebor Peña, Kyron Hudson and Devonte Ross, junior linebacker Amare Campbell, safety King Mack and redshirt freshman defensive tackle Owen Wafle, among others. And then there are the additions to the coaching staff. Penn State lured defen- sive coordinator Jim Knowles away from Ohio State just days after the Buckeyes won the national championship. His unit allowed the fewest points (12.9 per game) and yards (254.6 per game) in the FBS last year. But he walked away from what he'd built in Columbus, joining Franklin's staff in the hope that the Li- ons could do the same and that he could "help get them there." Knowles acknowledged at media day that his defense is complicated due to the ever-increasing sophistication of college offenses. However, he noted that he's gotten better over the years at in- stalling his system. With Dennis-Sut- ton, Durant and Wheatley anchoring the unit, the Nittany Lions figure to benefit from Knowles' refinements. "I've had to improve, particularly when you come into a situation like this," he said. "Our charge is to be great now. If it's too complicated, or if I can't get it installed quickly, that's my fault. I think I've developed a process that helps move it along at a more rapid pace." Along with Knowles, the Lions "I'm not going to frame the preseason rankings and put them in my basement in the man cave. No one cares." J A M E S F R A N K L I N OFFENSE QUARTERBACK No. Name Cl. Ht. Wt. 15 Drew Allar Sr. 6-5 235 17 Ethan Grunkemeyer R-Fr. 6-2 212 14 or Jaxon Smolik R-So. 6-1 213 RUNNING BACK 10 Nicholas Singleton Sr. 6-0 224 13 Kaytron Allen Sr. 5-11 217 WIDE RECEIVER 1 Kyron Hudson R-Sr. 6-1 215 12 Anthony Ivey R-Jr. 5-11 194 WIDE RECEIVER 5 Devonte Ross Sr. 5-10 170 2 or Liam Clifford R-Sr. 6-1 206 WIDE RECEIVER (Slot) 8 Trebor Peña R-Sr.+ 5-10 186 2 Liam Clifford R-Sr. 6-1 206 TIGHT END 16 Khalil Dinkins R-Sr. 6-4 251 85 Luke Reynolds So. 6-4 250 LEFT TACKLE 66 Drew Shelton Sr. 6-5 305 64 Eagan Boyer R-Fr. 6-8 291 LEFT GUARD 71 Olaivavega Ioane R-Jr. 6-4 330 63 Alex Birchmeier R-So. 6-5 313 CENTER 53 Nick Dawkins R-Sr.+ 6-4 295 52 Dominic Rulli R-Jr. 6-3 297 RIGHT GUARD 50 Cooper Cousins So. 6-6 311 68 Anthony Donkoh R-So. 6-5 326 RIGHT TACKLE 72 Nolan Rucci R-Sr. 6-8 307 68 or Anthony Donkoh R-So. 6-5 326 DEFENSE DEFENSIVE END No. Name Cl. Ht. Wt. 33 Dani Dennis-Sutton Sr. 6-5 265 20 Mylachi Williams R-Fr. 6-3 252 99 or Yvan Kemajou Fr. 6-3 250 DEFENSIVE TACKLE 50 Alonzo Ford Jr. R-Sr.+ 6-2 305 54 Xavier Gilliam R-Fr. 6-2 302 DEFENSIVE TACKLE 28 Zane Durant Sr. 6-1 294 39 Ty Blanding R-So. 6-1 292 34 or Owen Wafle R-Fr. 6-2 295 DEFENSIVE END 36 Zuriah Fisher R-Sr.+ 6-3 258 44 Jaylen Harvey R-Fr. 6-2 251 45 Enai White R-Jr. 6-5 264 WILL LINEBACKER 0 Dominic DeLuca R-Sr. 6-1 227 40 Anthony Speca R-Fr. 6-1 227 24 or Amare Campbell Jr. 6-0 231 MIKE LINEBACKER 13 Tony Rojas Jr. 6-2 230 32 Keon Wylie R-Jr. 6-2 225 30 or Kari Jackson R-Fr. 6-1 237 CORNERBACK 9 Elliot Washington II Jr. 5-11 199 2 or Audavion Collins R-Jr. 5-11 180 CORNERBACK 4 A.J. Harris Jr. 6-1 191 5 Daryus Dixson Fr. 6-0 191 BOUNDARY SAFETY 10 Dejuan Lane So. 6-2 212 16 or King Mack Jr. 5-10 187 21 Vaboue Toure R-Fr. 6-1 210 FIELD SAFETY 6 Zakee Wheatley R-Sr. 6-2 200 27 Lamont Payne Jr. R-So. 6-0 190 NICKEL 7 Zion Tracy Jr. 5-11 180 31 Kolin Dinkins R-Jr. 6-2 207 SPECIAL TEAMS PUNTER No. Name Cl. Ht. Wt. 95 Riley Thompson Sr. 6-1 230 99 Gabriel Nwosu R-Sr. 6-6 292 PLACEKICKER (FG) 94 Ryan Barker R-So. 6-2 202 98 Matthew Parker Fr. 6-0 218 PLACEKICKER (KO) 99 Gabriel Nwosu R-Sr. 6-6 292 LONG SNAPPER 48 Tyler Duzansky R-Sr. 6-4 222 HOLDER 95 Riley Thompson Sr. 6-1 230 PUNT RETURNER 5 Devonte Ross Sr. 5-10 170 7 or Zion Tracy Jr. 5-11 180 KICKOFF RETURNER 10 Nicholas Singleton Sr. 6-0 224 25 Quinton Martin Jr. R-Fr. 6-1 206 BWI'S UNOFFICIAL PENN STATE DEPTH CHART