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As preseason practices draw near, Penn State releases updated roster

Just a few weeks into the disbanding of the Penn State football program due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dwight Galt had some concerns.

The Nittany Lions’ strength and conditioning coordinator wasn’t worried about the middle weights on the roster. His tight ends and running backs and linebackers were all highly likely to continue their trajectory in both the weight room as well as with their speed work.

The ends of the spectrum, however, gave him pause.

“We all kind of know what athletes gravitate toward. Quarterbacks and receivers are gonna want to go out and throw and catch. O-line, D-line want to lift weights,” Galt said. “Everybody's kind of got the thing that they gravitate to positionally and almost like DNA.

“So some of my concerns would be lineman conditioning, lineman movement training. They love getting in there and lifting weights. But when you weigh 325-330 pounds, it's just not quite as fun to go out and run around carrying that much weight, even though I think our lean situation is really good. So I worry a little bit about the linemen, making sure that they're doing a really good job of keeping their movement training levels that are really high intensity.”

Penn State Nittany Lions Football Preseason Roster
Penn State's defensive line saw some significant weight changes on the latest roster release.
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Sunday’s release of the program’s updated preseason roster, just days ahead of the official August 7 commencement of preseason camp, demonstrates some of Galt’s worries.

While much of the roster was able to maintain its size through the three-month hiatus from official football work. a few big changes stand out.

On the offense and defensive line, here are the big movers:


OL Juice Scurggs - 6-3, 281 -16 pounds

OL Mike Miranda - 6-3, 285 -16 pounds

DT Fatorma Mulbah - 6-3, 302 +19 pounds

DT Hakeem Beamon - 6-3, 274 -14 pounds

DT Judge Culpepper - 6-4, 281 -13 pounds

DT D’Von Ellies - 6-1, 301 +9 pounds

DE Smith Vilbert - 6-6, 246 -20 pounds

DE Adisa Isaac - 6-4, 240 -16 pounds

DE Nick Tarburton - 6-3, 248 -11 pounds


Penn State’s roster saw less movement in the secondary or among the receivers, though Galt also shared his concerns regarding those positions.

“On the flip side is our skill guys,” Galt said. “DBs and safeties obviously like to do a lot of drill work, they love drill work, and then the receivers obviously want to catch and run routes. So I'm a little bit more worried about those guys in the weight room, because they love getting outside and doing that.”

Among the skill guys, only cornerback Marquis Wilson saw a double-digit weight change from his previously listed size. A few others came close.


CB Keaton Ellis - 5-11, 189 +6 pounds

CB Marquis Wilson - 5-11, 166 -15 pounds

CB Joey Porter Jr. - 6-2, 198 +6 pounds

Saf. Trent Gordon - 5-11, 200 +8 pounds

RB Devyn Ford - 5-11, 192 +8 pounds


Complete 2020 Penn State Preseason Roster (w/weight changes)

1) Saf. Jaquan Brisker - 6-1, 210 - Up five pounds

2) QB Micah Bowens - 5-11, 198 - Up eight pounds

2) CB Keaton Ellis - 5-11, 189 - Up six pounds

3) CB Donovan Johnson - 5-9, 180 - No change

4) RB Journey Brown - 5-11, 215 - Down one pound

5) CB Tariq Castro-Fields - 6-0, 195 - Up five pounds

5) WR Jahan Dotson - 5-11, 183 - Down one pound

6) WR Cam Sullivan-Brown - 6-0, 192 - Down one pound

7) QB Will Levis - 6-3, 230 - Down one pound

8) WR John Dunmore - 6-1, 190 - Down one pound

8) CB Marquis Wilson - 5-11, 166 - Down 15 pounds

9) CB Joey Porter Jr. - 6-2, 198 - Up six pounds

9) QB Ta’Quan Roberson - 5-11, 197 - Up three pounds

10) LB Lance Dixon - 6-2, 210 - Down 13 pounds

10) WR T.J. Jones - 6-1, 204 - Up four pounds

11) WR Daniel George - 6-2, 210 - No Change

11) LB Micah Parsons - 6-3, 245 - Up one pound

12) LB Brandon Smith - 6-3, 237 - Down three pounds

13) LB Ellis Brooks - 6-1, 241 - Up five pounds

13) WR Keandre Lambert-Smith - 6-1, 185 - No Change

14) QB Sean Clifford - 6-2, 218 - Down one pound

15) Saf. Enzo Jennings - 6-1, 200 - No Change

16) CB Ji’Ayir Brown- 5-11, 205 - No change

17) CB Joseph Johnson - 6-2, 174 - No Change

18) DE Shaka Toney - 6-3, 231 - Down five pounds

18) WR Parker Washington- 5-10, 203 - Up three pounds

19) WR Jaden Dottin - 6-2, 183 - No Change

19) Saf. Trent Gordon - 5-11, 200 - Up eight pounds

20) DE Adisa Isaac - 6-4, 240 - Down 16 pounds

21) RB Noah Cain - 5-10, 228 - Up five pounds

21) Saf. Tyler Rudolph - 6-0, 204 - Down three pounds

23) LB Curtis Jacobs - 6-1, 221 - Up one pound

24) RB Keyvone Lee - 6-0, 220 - No Change

25) CB Daquan Hardy - 5-9, 166 - Down four pounds

26) Saf. Jonathan Sutherland - 5-11, 199 - Up one pound

26) RB Caziah Holmes - 5-11, 215 - No Change

27) DT Aeneas Hawkins - 6-2, 285 - Down three pounds

27) Saf. Jaden Seider - 5-10, 176 - Up two pounds

28) RB Devyn Ford - 5-11, 192 - Down eight pounds

28) DE Jayson Oweh - 6-5, 253 - Down four pounds

29) CB Sebastian Costantini - 5-11, 188 - Up five pounds

29) WR Henry Fessler - 5-10, 186 - Up six pounds

32) Saf. Dylan Farronato - 5-11, 194 - Up seven pounds

33) DE Bryce Mostella - 6-6, 244 - No Change

34) DE Shane Simmons - 6-3, 247 - Up three pounds

36) LB Zuriah Fisher - 6-3, 230 - No Change

36) CB Makai Self - 5-9, 166 - Up one pound

37) Saf. Drew Hartlaub - 5-11, 184 - Up two pounds

38) RB Tank Smith - 5-7, 214 - Down six pounds

38) Saf. Lamont Wade - 5-9, 187 - Up one pound

39) LB Robbie Dwyer - 6-1, 243 - Up two pounds

40) LB Jesse Luketa - 6-3, 241 - Down three pounds

41) DE Brandon Taylor - 6-2, 269 - Down six pounds

43) LB Tyler Elsdon - 6-2, 230 - No Change

43) TE Trevor Baker - 6-3, 238 - Down three pounds

44) DT Joseph Appiah Karkwa - 6-5, 292 - Up five pounds

44) TE Tyler Warren - 6-6, 239 - Up four pounds

45) LB Charlie Katshir - 6-3, 230 - Up four pounds

46) DE Nick Tarburton - 6-3, 248 - Down 11 pounds

47) TE Tommy Friberg - 6-3, 209 - Up seven pounds

47) LB Alex Furmanek - 6-2, 249 - Up two pounds

50) LB Max Chizmar - 6-2, 233 - Up 10 pounds

50) OL Will Knutsson - 6-2, 302 - Down eight pounds

51) DT Hakeem Beamon - 6-3, 274 - Down 14 pounds

51) OL Jimmy Christ - 6-7, 302 - Up two pounds

52) OL Blake Zalar - 6-1, 296 - Up seven pounds

53) DT Fred Hansard - 6-3, 324 - Up six pounds

53) OL Rasheed Walker - 6-6, 313 - Down seven pounds

54) DT Fatorma Mulbah - 6-3, 302 - Up 19 pounds

55) DT Antonio Shelton - 6-2, 310 - Down five pounds

55) OL Anthony Wigan - 6-4, 318 - Down two pounds

56) DT Amin Vanover - 6-4, 277 - Up seven pounds

57) OL Ibrahim Traore - 6-5, 323 - Up 23 pounds

58) DT Evan Presta - 6-3, 273 - Down nine pounds

59) OL Kaleb Konigus - 6-2, 310 - Down 11 pounds

62) OL Michal Menet - 6-4, 305 - Down three pounds

63) OL Collin De Boef - 6-5, 271 - Up 21 pounds

66) OL Nick Dawkins - 6-4, 311 - No Change

69) OL C.J. Thorpe - 6-3, 322 - Down six pounds

70) OL Juice Scruggs - 6-3, 281 - Down 16 pounds

71) OL Will Fries - 6-6, 307 - Down two pounds

72) OL Bryce Effner - 6-5, 295 - Down seven pounds

73) OL Mike Miranda - 6-3, 285 - Down 16 pounds

74) OL Olu Fashanu - 6-6, 315 - No Change

75) OL Des Holmes - 6-5, 317 - Down five pounds

76) OL Justin Kopko - 6-3, 310 - Up 10 pounds

77) DT Judge Culpepper - 6-4, 281 - Down 13 pounds

77) OL Sal Wormley - 6-3, 322 - Up three pounds

78) OL Golden Israel-Achumba - 6-4, 349 - Up 24 pounds

79) OL Caedan Wallace - 6-5, 335 - Down two pounds

80) WR Justin Weller - 6-0, 189 - Down four pounds

80) WR Malick Meiga - 6-4, 195 - No Change

82) TE Zack Kuntz - 6-7, 252 - Down two pounds

82) WR Cameron Pica - 6-2, 216 - Up six pounds

84) WR Benjamin Wilson - 6-2, 208 - Down two pounds

84) TE Theo Johnson - 6-6, 258 - No Change

85) WR Isaac Lutz - 5-11, 197 - Down one pound

86) WR Alec Berger - 5-11, 176 - Up six pounds

86) TE Brenton Strange - 6-3, 248 - Up six pounds

87) TE Pat Freiermuth - 6-5, 260 - Up one pound

88) WR Norval Black - 6-1, 160 - Down 10 pounds

89) TE Grayson Kline - 6-5, 254 - Down two pounds

90) K Rafael Checa - 6-2, 201 - Down five pounds

91) DT Dvon Ellies - 6-1, 301 - Up nine pounds

91) LS Chris Stoll - 6-2, 243 - Up two pounds

92) K Jake Pinegar - 6-2, 187 - Down two pounds

92) DT Smith Vilbert - 6-6, 246 - Down 20 pounds

93) P Bradley King - 6-2, 205 - Down three pounds

94) LS Joe Calcagno - 6-0, 282 - Down 11 pounds

95) DT Cole Brevard - 6-3, 318 - No Change

95) K Vlad Hilling - 5-10, 226 - Down two pounds

96) K Anthony DaSilva - 5-11, 163 - Up one pound

97) K Carson Landis - 6-2, 203 - Down five pounds

97) DT PJ Mustipher - 6-4, 308 - Up three pounds

98) K/P Jordan Stout - 6-3, 207 - Up three pounds

98) DL/LS Dan Vasey - 6-4, 250 - Up four pounds

99) DT Coziah Izzard - 6-3, 273 - Down 12 pounds


Penn State is getting set to start preseason practices, officially, on August 7.


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