A look back: Top defensive end recruits to commit to Penn State football

Penn State made its biggest splash of the recruiting calendar when Dani Dennis-Sutton, the nation’s No. 11-ranked prospect and top defensive end of the Class of 2022, verbally committed to the Nittany Lions.

Dennis-Sutton became the 21st commitment in Penn State’s Class of 2022 and, his status as one of the nation’s top prospects secured, also became the Nittany Lions’ highest-ranked recruit since Micah Parsons signed on Dec. 20, 2017. Parsons, the top-rated outside linebacker in the Class of 2018 and the nation’s No. 6 overall recruit, and Dennis-Sutton are two of 10 five-star commitments to the Nittany Lions in the modern era, as evaluated by Rivals since its advent two decades ago.

But what about Dennis-Sutton’s place among the program’s defensive ends since Rivals began evaluating and ranking prospects with the Class of 2002?

Certainly, the Nittany Lions have had success with the position. In the past 20 years, some of the program's most successful NFL players have come from the position group, with eight being drafted since 2003. And most recently, that success manifest itself in the form of Odafe Oweh’s selection with the No. 31 overall pick in the 2021 draft by the Baltimore Ravens.

Here’s a look back at Penn State’s other defensive end recruits with Rivals100 or a top five position ranking of the past 20 years:

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In a class that welcomed 21 members to the Nittany Lions ahead of the 2002 season, including 11 rated as four-stars, Tamba Hali was the only to earn a place among Rivals' top 100 prospects nationally that year.

A steady presence through his first three seasons at Penn State, it was Hali's senior year in 2005 in which he shined brightest. His four sacks against Wisconsin that year remain a program record for a single game, and his effort of 11 sacks and 17.0 TFLs in 2005 earned him All-America honors along with a unanimous selection as the Big Ten's Defensive Lineman of the Year and first-team All-Big Ten.

Hali was selected in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2006 and went on to compile a likely Hall of Fame career with six Pro Bowl selections and two second-team All-Pro picks.

A Ted Hendricks Award finalist in 2007 thanks to his team-high 12.5 sacks, Evans was among the highest ranked prospects of Penn State's robust Class of 2006. That sophomore season effort still stands as the fifth-highest single-season sack total in program history while his 21.5 TFLs check in at sixth all-time.

Entering his junior season with quite a bit of fanfare, Evans' trajectory didn't continue along the same path, finishing with a disappointing 3.0 sacks and 4.5 TFLs in 10 games during the 2008 campaign. Determined to move on with his career, though, Evans entered the NFL Draft after the season and went undrafted, landing as a free agent with the New York Giants.

Zettel arrived at Penn State as a defensive end but transitioned into a versatile DT/DE for the Nittany Lions as his career progressed. Breaking out during his redshirt junior season in 2014, Zettel started 13 games and collected 8.0 sacks and 17.0 TFLs for the year, including three interceptions, ultimately landing him a spot on the first-team All-Big Ten at the end of the season.

Appearing primarily on the interior of Penn State's defensive line as a senior, Zettel's numbers backed off in 2015 but were still enough to land him third-team All-Big Ten honors.

Zettel would go on to be taken in the sixth round of the NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions following the 2015 season. His 20.0 career sacks stands tied for eighth all-time at Penn State.

In the midst of the program's crisis from the fallout of the Jerry Sandusky scandal, Sickels was, along with Christian Hackenberg, tight end Adam Breneman, and offensive lineman Brendan Mahon, the core of the Class of 2013 that remained committed to Penn State through the firestorm.

After taking a redshirt his first year on campus, Sickels would go on to contribute in every game in 2014 on defense and special teams ahead of his first season as a starter in 2015. Then as a senior, Sickels earned second-team All-Big Ten honors for his performance with the Nittany Lions in 2016, finishing with 47 tackles, 12.5 TFLs, and six sacks.

The effort prompted Sickels to forgo a fifth year at Penn State and instead pursue an NFL career. Undrafted, Sickels found practice squad opportunities with Indianapolis, Cleveland, Los Angeles and Washington before announcing his retirement from football ahead of the 2019 season.

Contributing immediately as a true freshman in 2017, Gross-Matos produced sterling follow-up seasons as a sophomore in 2018 and junior in 2019 before declaring for the NFL Draft early.

With 13 starts in 2018, Gross-Matos finished with 54 tackles, 20.0 TFLs (good for 8th all-time in a single season at Penn State) and eight sacks, earning first-team All-Big Ten notice. He followed the effort with 40 tackles, 15.0 TFLs and 9.5 sacks (tied 14th single season) as a junior in 2019, landing him as a Ted Hendricks Award finalist and first-team All-Big Ten status by both the conference coaches and media.

Taken by the Carolina Panthers with the 38th overall pick in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Gross-Matos is preparing for his second season as a professional. His 19.0 career sacks stands tied for 10th all time at Penn State.

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Penn State's last big defensive end signing before Dennis-Sutton, Isaac is primed for his junior season with the Nittany Lions in 2021.

In his first two seasons in the program, Isaac has 4.5 TFLs and 3.0 sacks but, in the absence of Odafe Oweh and Shaka Toney, he's expected to start for the Nittany Lions this year. And, according to projected first-round NFL Draft choice Rasheed Walker, Penn State's redshirt junior left tackle, expectations are accordingly high for Isaac this season.

"Adisa Isaac, I'm pretty sure you know a little bit about him, but he's special," Walker said this spring. "He's fast. He plays hard to the whistle. He's strong. He's gonna do good."

Wondering where two of Penn State's most accomplished defensive ends of the past 20 years are from this list?

Aaron Maybin, a first-round NFL Draft selection, was rated as the No. 7 weak side defensive end in the Class of 2006 with a national ranking of No. 192. He'd go on to earn All-America status and consensus first-team All-Big Ten status after his junior season with the Nittany Lions in 2008.

Another high draft pick of the Nittany Lions, a third-round selection to the Cleveland Browns, Carl Nassib was an unrated, unranked walk-on in Penn State's Class of 2011. Nassib went on to become a unanimous All-American his senior season with the Nittany Lions in 2015, also winning the Hendricks Award.

Odafe Oweh, meanwhile, was rated by Rivals as the No. 9 strong side defensive end in the Class of 2018 with a national ranking of No. 140. After earning first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2020, Oweh opted to pursue an NFL career and was picked No. 31 overall in this past April's draft.

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