Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1543434
4 6 M A R C H 2 0 2 6 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M / / / / / / / T H E C L A S S O F 2 0 2 6 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / players — seniors Caleb Bacon and Kooper Ebel, and junior Cael Brezina — form the backbone of PSU's new con- tingent. The Nittany Lions gained position flexibility and hybrid capabilities. Ba- con played a hybrid edge rusher role last season, spending time as the missing piece that changed Iowa State's three- down defensive line into a four-down front and then back again, play-to-play and drive-to-drive. By season's end, he flipped from the weak side to the strong side, allowing Brezina a chance to play more snaps. Brezina can play either inside spot, leaving Ebel as the Lions' starting middle linebacker for the com- ing season. Grade: B Cornerback Penn State didn't need a lot of veteran help here and added only one transfer in redshirt sophomore Ibn McDaniels, formerly of Syracuse. The Nittany Li- ons got a couple of huge wins with the return of redshirt freshmen Xxavier Thomas and Josh Johnson. They'll com- bine with McDaniels to supply depth. It would have been nice to add a fourth cornerback with more experi- ence playing on the outside, but Mc- Daniels can be that player, given his size (6-3, 205) and athletic profile. While he's got a long way to go regard- ing his instincts and technique, if the light comes on this offseason, he'll be an absolute steal. Grade: C Safety The Penn State retention plan suf- fered a late and unexpected blow when Dejuan Lane announced he was headed to Tennessee. Lane was the team's clear starting field safety and the best ath- lete in the secondary. Fortunately for PSU, Iowa State had a built-in replace- ment in redshirt senior Jeremiah Coo- per. At 6-0, 195 pounds, Cooper isn't as big as Lane, but he's a fierce hitter and spent a year at cornerback, giving him impressive position flexibility. His addition was a massive win. Junior Marcus Neal Jr. was also a valuable addition. His relentless style of play and sideline-to-sideline pur- suit are culture- and tone-setting characteristics that will help the Lions form a defensive identity. Grade: A- Overall Campbell and his staff focused their retention efforts on key pass rushers and cornerbacks, leaving less-expen- sive positions as the areas that needed to be filled via the portal. The Nittany Lions also saved by bringing in safe- ties and linebackers from Campbell's previous program, getting the most value they could at those positions. It's a solid plan. Yet the defensive front's speed and dynamic capabilities are a concern. Those positions are among the most ex- pensive in the portal, and that is a harsh reality for the new staff. PSU couldn't fill every need this offseason, but it still made some impactful additions. Grade: B ■ Linebacker Kooper Ebel tied for the team lead at Iowa State last season with 77 tackles. A junior at the time, Ebel finished with 8 tackles for loss, a sack and 5 quarterback hurries. PHOTO BY JEFF SPOUR/IOWA STATE ATHLETICS