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ter, Penn State needed to recruit only one in 2018. The Lions got their man when Oweh, a four-star prospect, joined the class on the 8nal day of the early signing period in December. But while the posi- tion wasn't a top priority this year, it will be in 2019. With Colin Castagna no longer on the roster and Miller and Buch- holz set to graduate a:er the 2019 season, Penn State will need to recruit three blue-chip defensive ends in its next class. DEFENSIVE TACKLE SIGNEES Judge Culpepper, Aeneas Hawkins, P.J. Mustipher ANALYSIS With Cothran, Cothren and Chavis graduating, Penn State will have only six defensive tackles on its spring roster: redshirt juniors Kevin Givens and Robert Windsor, redshirt sophomores El- lison Jordan and Antonio Shelton, and redshirt freshmen Corey Bolds and Fred Hansard. Givens, Windsor and Jordan are the only defensive tackles with extensive game experience. Bolds and Hansard were highly rated defensive tackles in last year's recruiting class and will need to step up in spring practice in order for Penn State to start building depth in the middle of its defen- sive front. Hansard has a chance to push for signi8cant playing time this fall. In Culpepper, Hawkins and Mustipher, Penn State recruited three outstanding defensive tackles. Mustipher appears to have an excellent chance of seeing play- ing time his freshman year. Culpepper and Hawkins will most likely redshirt. LINEBACKER SIGNEES Charlie Katshir, Jesse Luketa, Micah Parsons, Nick Tarburton ANALYSIS The graduation of Cabinda and Smith, coupled with Bowen's depar- ture, leaves Penn State with only two linebackers who have seen extensive ac- tion: senior Koa Farmer and junior Cam Brown. The other returnees are senior Jake Cooper, redshirt junior Jarvis Miller, and redshirt freshmen Ellis Brooks, Bre- lin Faison-Walden and Brailyn Franklin. The Lions need to build depth here quickly, so it was a real coup when the sta9 was able to land four linebackers. As an added bonus, Parsons, Luketa and Tarburton enrolled in January and will be participating in spring practice. Expect all three to start their college careers at one of the box linebacker positions. DEFENSIVE BACK SIGNEES Trent Gordon, Isaiah Humphries, Jordan Miner ANALYSIS Penn State lost all four starters here – Christian Campbell and Grant Haley at cornerback, and Troy Apke and Marcus Allen at safety – but the second- ary has a chance to be much better than people realize. That is particularly true at cornerback, where redshirt junior John Reid is ex- pected to reclaim his starting boundary position as he returns from the knee in- jury that forced him to miss the entire 2017 season. Reid was injured last spring, so he's had nearly a full year to get healthy. Also returning are senior Amani Oruwariye, sophomores Zech McPhearson and Tariq Castro-Fields, redshirt freshmen Donovan Johnson and D.J. Brown and Abilene Christian trans- fer Jabari Butler. The depth situation is di9erent at safety. Senior Nick Scott, redshirt juniors Ayron Monroe and Garrett Taylor, sopho- more Lamont Wade and redshirt fresh- man Jonathan Sutherland give PSU 8ve scholarship safeties for spring practice. Of the newcomers arriving this year, I believe Gordon, a January enrollee, has the best chance of seeing playing time as a fresh- man. With Scott graduating a:er the 2018 season and Monroe and Taylor departing the following year, the Lions will need to recruit three safeties in their Class of 2019. SPECIAL TEAMS SIGNEE Jake Pinegar ANALYSIS With Tyler Davis graduating, Penn State's kicking game is unproven at the place kicker position. Pinegar will compete with walk-ons Carson Landis, Nick DeAngelis, Rafael Checa and Vlad Hilling for both kicko9 and 8eld goal duties. In addition, punter Blake Gillikin is also expected to try out for the place- kicking duties this spring. ■ !"#!" $%&'( !! "#$%&$' &'' ()* + ! ,-)) +. /-% #$ !"#"$ %$ &' () " & *& +,-,../01

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