3/31/2023 football Edit

Three Nittany Lions named Walter Camp Preseason All-Americans

© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports (© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

Dylan Callaghan-Croley • Happy Valley Insider

Editor

Three Penn State Nittany Lions have earned preseason All-American status by the Walter Camp Football Foundation. Cornerback Kalen King and offensive tackle Olu Fashanu both were first team selections while defensive end Chop Robinson earned a second team nod.

King is entering his junior year at Penn State after being a second-team All-American selection by Walter Camp in the fall as well as a third-team selection by Pro Football Focus. Notably, he was snubbed of first or second team All-Big Ten by both the media and coaches, being named a third-team member for both. Either way, King enters this spring as one of the Nittany Lions' top overall players and a potential first round draft pick a year from now.

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The Detroit (MI) native made 30 tackles last season including 23 solo and three tackles for a loss. He also recorded 18 pass break ups, three interceptions, a forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Pro Football Focus assigned him an overall defensive grade of 89.0 last season including a coverage grade of 90.6.

Fashanu missed the final five games of the Nittany Lions season with an injury that he suffered in late October against Ohio State. Over the Nittany Lions first eight games, and was a terrific pass blocker, allowing just seven pressures over 281 total pass blocking snaps. Had Fashanu entered this year's NFL Draft, he likely would've been a top-10 selection. Instead, he chose to return to Penn State to finish his education. He'll be one of the country's top offensive linemen in 2023 and is a likely top-10 selection in next year's NFL Draft.

Finally, Chop Robinson made the move from linebacker to defensive end in his first year with the program and it paid immediate dividends. Robinson was widely considered one of the best pash rushers in the country even though he recorded just 5.5 sacks. According to Pro Football Focus, over 267 pass rushing snaps, Robinson recorded 48 total pressures, 34 quarterback hurries, and nine quarterback hurries to go along with his five sacks. He'll be one of the Big Ten's most feared defensive linemen this fall.