Penn State Football Positional Preview: Defensive Line Edition

With training camp just underway for Penn State, it’s that time of the year to evaluate which Nittany Lions are expected to make an impact this upcoming season.

Following a Rose Bowl winning campaign in 2022, the program has its expectations as high as they’ve been under James Franklin.

A large part of the success over the past decade has been the production from the defensive line and that should continue into 2023.

Here is who’s expected to make an impact on the front four this season.

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Chop Robinson has quickly transformed himself from a transfer with something to prove into a potential first round NFL Draft pick next year. The former Maryland Terrapin had a really impressive first season with Penn State where he appeared in 12 games and recorded 26 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. His unique combination of athleticism and precision to get off the line makes him a very intriguing player to watch for NFL scouts and it allowed him to take a major step forward in 2022. While he improved his ability to stop the run last year, Robinson’s bread and butter is rushing the passer. His eye-popping bend and quick first step should only improve this upcoming season and if Penn State’s defensive line is going to be among the best in the nation, Robinson's constant presence in the backfield will have a lot to do with it.

Coming off a season in which he returned from a major injury, Adisa Isaac showed flashes of what made him such a tantalizing recruit. He was able to use his pure length and speed to his advantage but is still looking to show that he has the technician-like tendencies that Robinson has displayed. Despite an offseason full of rehab last year, Isaac was still able to produce at a fairly high level. He was chosen as a third team All Big Ten selection with a team-best 11 tackles for loss and four sacks while starting all 13 games. With a fully healthy training camp under his belt this season, Isaac’s play should only improve and he’ll once again make a solid tandem with Robinson on the edge.

Hakeem Beamon is the lone Nittany Lion defensive tackle that should be locked into a starting role for the 2023 season. The redshirt senior will become the veteran of the defensive tackle group following PJ Mustipher’s departure for the NFL and could be a candidate to take a big leap this season. While the production did not necessarily jump off the page in 2022, some added weight in the offseason to his 6-foot-4 frame should potentially allow him to progress in terms of his physicality at the line. He’s proved to be solid when it comes to defending both the pass and rush so with more opportunities this season, it would not be a shock to see Beamon’s numbers rise exponentially.

With Beamon solidified as a starting defensive tackle, the other starting spot could be up for grabs. Redshirt senior Dvon Ellies appears to be the primary candidate for the spot as he was the team’s top rotational tackle in 2022. Ellies appeared in 12 games for the Nittany Lions and while his stats don’t necessarily indicate anything incredibly special, his mere 300 pound presence on the line will cause plenty of disruption for opposing interior offensive lines. He will be asked to do a lot of the run stopping and other cleanup work that is required at the position and his experience in Manny Diaz’s defense should allow him to have no trouble expanding off a solid building season last year. While he may not be the flashiest interior defensive tackle, his steadiness should allow the rest of the defense to shine and that consistency will likely be the reason that he is a full-time starter in 2023.

Penn State’s depth at the defensive end position may be what makes this defense as talented as many project it to be in 2023. For many programs across the country, Dani Dennis-Sutton would be a locked-in starter as he was a highly rated recruit with loads of raw talent. While he may be a rotational piece for Penn State this year, he caught the attention of many as a true freshman last season and it would not be surprising at all to see him make a massive impact for the Nittany Lions heading into his second campaign. Dennis-Sutton has size, athleticism and speed on the edge and it should be really intriguing to see how the defensive coaching staff handles his snap count as the season moves along.

Amin Vanover is going to be another key piece on Penn State’s deep defensive edge. He’s experienced like the rest of the group and was able to produce at multiple key points in the 2022 season as a rotational player, with 16 total tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss. It would not be very surprising to see Vanover on the field a lot in 2023 as rotating and keeping players fresh may be part of what allows the Nittany Lions to have an edge rushing group that is among the best in college football. Defensive line coach Deon Barnes has some really interesting decisions to make on how to go about getting guys like Vanover on and off the field this season.

After missing much of the season last year due to a knee injury, Zuriah Fisher has a great opportunity to grow in 2023. Playing behind a number of talented edge rushers, Fisher will likely be in the rotation but will play sparingly simply due to the amount of talent in front of him at the moment. But a healthy Fisher could definitely be a contributor for Penn State this year and could be some key insurance in the case of an injury or other issues.

Who can forget Smith Vilbert’s breakout performance in the 2021 Outback Bowl where he recorded three first half sacks. But since then, the redshirt senior has sort of gotten lost in the shuffle when it comes to the defensive end room, not necessarily to a fault of his own. He is a very viable option in the rotation given his size and strength but there are simply better options ahead of the redshirt senior for 2023.

The freshman to get excited about in this defensive end group would definitely be Philadelphia native Jameial Lyons. Lyons boasts some impressive measurables at 6-foot-5 paired with some tremendous speed. While he may not be a part of the primary mix for Deon Barnes in big games this season, keep an eye on his progression throughout the year as he should be ready to contribute in a big way in 2024-2025.

If Dvon Ellies is not the starting defensive tackle next to Hakeem Beamon this year, it most certainly would be junior Coziah Izzard. Whether he is starting or not, Izzard will be heavily involved for Penn State this season and will be in the mix of rotating defensive tackles. While he is expecting to play a critical role, the DeMatha Catholic grad did miss much of the spring due to an injury so he will have some catching up to do as camp begins. His experience in filling in for PJ Mustipher after his injury in 2021 should help him though as he has been tested in this spot before.

2023 should be another key developmental year for sophomore defensive tackle Zane Durant. While he played somewhat sparingly in 2022, he should be more heavily involved this year and that’ll lead to more production on the stat sheet. His traits did pop out in the limited time he saw on the field last year and if he is able to progress quickly, then he could propel himself into a larger role as the season goes on. His development could be a key underlying story for the future of the program as his ceiling has been projected as a potential All-Big Ten caliber starter later on in his career.

It seems like whenever he is given an opportunity, Jordan van den Berg is able to make an impact for James Franklin. He is the classic “be ready when your number is called upon” guy which is key for any program to have. While he may be a bit lost in the shuffle when it comes to the defensive tackles in 2023, he is a key depth piece to have and if the group struggles with injuries at any point, it would be less than shocking to see his snaps and production take another leap.

A more unproven option at defensive tackle heading into the season is Davon Townley Jr. who had his name in the transfer portal this winter before deciding to return to Happy Valley. Townley is a former defensive end who converted to tackle and has seen very limited action in his two years with the Nittany Lions. It will be interesting to monitor throughout camp and the season how well Townley makes the switch as he would be a nice added piece of depth to a spot where you can never have too many options.