We return every DT that has had meaningful snaps plus this.
About some posters' DL concerns
- Thread starter EdwardoCarrachio
- Start date
Now it is up to Tom Allen (DC) & his staff to put them in schemes to be dominant.We return every DT that has had meaningful snaps plus this.
I've heard whispers that Jamaiel Lyons is going to be a good one. He was a Frosh last year and is currently listed as a backup as a Soph for 2024. He's listed at 6-5 and 252. He was a four-star kid coming out of HS.
Good point, the DEs aren't just two top 5 in the country pass rushers. There is depth in that room and some high potential amongst the depth.
We return a lot of experience at DT (Durant, Ellies, Beamon, Izzard) so think we'll be at least as good as we were at that position last year. Is that good enough? I think they'll be a solid group but none were good enough to make the all conference team.We return every DT that has had meaningful snaps plus this.
It's going to be difficult to replace Robinson & Isaac at DE but Sutton & Carter are both very talented. Both received all conference consideration last year but Carter was at LB.
IMO the biggest concern on defense is LB and CB. Both of those positions should be good but I don't think they are elite.
I'm really looking forward to see what DE's like Vilbert, Vanover and Lyons do this season.
And having a bigger starting DE like DDS should help PSU against the running teams like UM. That and the fact that the whole DT room is back, bigger, stronger, faster.
The only downside of the very experienced and deep DT rotation is that the true freshmen talent in the 2024 DT class likely won't get on the field as much as they would in other years. And with the significant losses to graduation after this coming season a couple of those 2024 DT's will likely be counted on to play in the 2025 rotation.
It's somewhat the same at DE as there will be significant losses to graduation and the NFL (DDS and Carter likely to the NFL, and Vilbert and Vanover to graduation and possibly the NFL) and there is a need to get some of the young DE's some experience so they can develop to take over in 2025. If Fisher is out and he can get a 6th year for 2025 that would be great for the 2025 DE group as he would bring maturity and leadership to the 2025 DE room.
I really believe that the DL as a whole has a great chance to be the best PSU DL we have seen since the Clark an Millen days. Talented, experienced, and deep.
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Fun fact, We have 10 scholarships at DE. Very deep. 11 at DT. 5.25 players deep at the 4 DL spots.
For the entire OL, we have 15 (and 9 of them are true or redshirt freshman). 3.0 players deep at the 5 OL spots.
I foresee a defensive football team (again).
For the entire OL, we have 15 (and 9 of them are true or redshirt freshman). 3.0 players deep at the 5 OL spots.
I foresee a defensive football team (again).
I wouldn’t worry too much about LB and CB. While we lost 3 starters there, Jacob’s and King went undrafted and Dixon was drafted very late. We have the young talent on the roster to surpass that level.
If you want something to worry about look at the projected 2025 roster. We lose a ton after the 2024 season.
Worry is a funny word. I think LB and CB positions are strong enough to assure us a 9-3 season. But are they good enough to get us to 11-1?
I agree completely about 2025. We could lose both RBs, Allar, Warren, Sutton, Carter, Fleming, Kimber, Reed, etc. That's a lot to replace. A lot of that came from the 6th ranked 2022 class. The subsequent classes were ranked 14 and 15.
Thin on multi-year experience and depth, but a couple of the OLinemen with freshman eligibility were among the most talented olinemen recruited by PSU in the last 20 years - Williams, Birchmeier, Donkoh and the true freshman Cousins who could end up starting at some point this coming season. And a couple of redshirt freshmen did get a good bit of experience last season - Donkoh and Williams.
The talent seems there on the OL, particularly with Rucci coming in at OT. So if Shelton and Nelson are healthy going into the Fall the OL really has a chance to be strong, and although the depth will be somewhat young at a couple positions, pretty deep. And with Cousins, Loane and Onoh continuing to develop the OL could be as good or better in 2025 even with Wormley and Nelson out of eligibility after 2024, particularly if Shelton returns for his 4th season. Just have to keep the injuries to a minimum.
I'm looking forward to seeing how the new OC develops the 2024 running game with all the RB talent and a pretty seasoned oline. I'd like to see some 6 olinemen sets that pound the ball against some teams without stout DL's....
True but there are some very highly rated OL who are very young (Freshmen, RS Freshmen, Soph) who will likely project nicely when it is their time.
Alright, beat me to it as I just posted this thought but less thoroughly.
We also potentially lose our Top 5 defensive tackles and Kobe King and KJ Winston.
On the bright side it seems our strategy was to use a lot of NIL budget to retain players so with all that talent leaving it frees up $$ to be more active in the portal than we usually are. It’s definitely looking like the biggest roster turnover we’ve had in quite some time.
More like 8+ but who is counting?
How many experienced ol do you expect to return each year?
How many do you think Alabama has?
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Another opinion:
www.si.com
Penn State Football 2024 Forecast: A Defensive Line Ready to Crunch
Though Penn State lost two premier pass rushers to the NFL in Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac, the defense will remain a pass-rush force in 2024.
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