Predicting Penn State’s End-of-Season Starting Lineup: Defense

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Same deal as yesterday’s offense article. For those diligent FTB readers, no need to explain the format or premise of this blog post. You know the drill. Gold star for you. For those who didn’t bother reading Monday’s ‘End-of-Season Starting Lineup: Offense’ well, I hope you have a doctor’s note or some other valid excuse for your absence.

DE: Adisa Isaac

Isaac was anointed a future first-round pick by a former Nittany Lion before last year’s medical redshirt depreciated his NFL stock a bit. Five-star freshman Dani Dennis-Sutton is nipping at his heels and by the end of this sentence you won’t be able to say I didn’t mention Smith Vilbert’s name. Adisa’s a man on a mission, though; he’ll come by this spot honestly.

DT: Zane Durant

Coziah Izzard is the incumbent at this spot but James Franklin said Durant is playing himself into “an unusual role” in his first year in Happy Valley. He’s got a full arsenal of pass rush moves but he showed up at 265, about a “freshman 15” south of your prototypical 3-technique (think “Aaron Donald”). If I’m Franklin I make sure the kid gets a room in South Halls; in my day you could get a burrito any time of day and breakfast any time of night.

NT: Dvon Ellies

I have PJ opting out of the bowl game, which makes sense. If not for a serious knee injury midway through 2021, Mustipher would likely be playing on Sundays not Saturdays this fall. Considering all that, I doubt he chances it for anything less than a CFP appearance. Or, in other words, I don’t think he wants to – pardon the vernacular – “eff around and find out.” Ellies was one of the more athletic 3-tech DT’s of the class of 2019 but he’s built his body into more of a nose tackle. He’s the asterisk to what I wrote above about Durant: it’s not just about adding mass it’s about how you carry it. Another year of growth and conditioning should help him find his optimal play weight.

DE: “Chop” Robinson

This four-star recruit (35th-ranked overall prospect, 4th-ranked EDGE) committed to Maryland as part of the class of 2021. He played Penn State once and realized what a terrible mistake he made. Guess that’s why pencils have erasers, eh? Let that be a lesson to you, kids: it’s never too late to right a wrong choice.

WILL: Curtis Jacobs

Brandon Smith was my crush of the Draft this year; he’s down in Carolina with Yetur now. Jacobs – who made All B1G honorable mention last year for his work at the SAM – filled this WILL spot in the Opt-out Bowl. He’ll need to hold off freshman Abdul Carter who has the type of blinding athleticism to be the next great #11 for the Nittany Lions.

MIKE: Kobe King

I have Kobe – the twin brother of Kalen – beating out the “incumbent” Tyler Eldson. 6-1/245 is just as pretty as 36-24-36. Along with Carter and Jamari Buddin the future is bright for LBU.

SAM: Jonathan Sutherland

Sutherland was the leader of the ST unit a year ago; never forget he blocked two punts in a 79-7 win over Idaho in the 2019 season opener. Defensively he’s played that third safety/tweener backer (the “Jack”) but James Franklin said Sutherland will be stepping into the full-time strongside backer role this year. Like Clifford, I’d be surprised if Sutherland doesn’t see this thing to the end.

CB: Joey Porter, Jr

Porter’s size and length make him sticky in the press-man coverage and dynamic at the catch point, but he led all college corners with 10 penalties committed last year. If he learns to be more judicial with his pinches and pokes he’s two years into being a four-year starter…or one year away from testing his luck in the NFL.

CB: Kalen King

King had a solid freshman season in 2021 but unfortunately the most lasting memory was that collision with Daequan Hardy that led to the go-ahead score in the Michigan game. He has the quickness to match up in man coverage and the smarts/ball skills to excel as a ballhawk in zone.

FS: Zakee Wheatley

Tig came back to Happy Valley for another year to avoid being “the other safety from Penn State” in Jaquan Brisker’s draft. I don’t think he’ll make it to the bowl game this year, though. Cornerbacks coach Terry Smith said Wheatley has “elite ball skills” and I’m a sucker for splash.

SS: Keaton Ellis

With Brisker gone and Sutherland rolling down to linebacker, this one is between Ellis and Jaylen Reed. Both saw time last season; Ellis gave you a larger sample size (213 vs. 106 snaps) and Reed gave you a higher missed tackle % (33.3% vs. 5.6%). You have to clamp it down if you’re the last line of defense.