7/19/2024 football Edit

Who are Penn State's top defensive returning players according to PFF?

Dylan Callaghan-Croley • Happy Valley Insider

Editor

On Thursday, Happy Valley Insider took a look at Penn State's top 10 returning players on the offensive side of the ball according to Pro Football Focus. Today, we turn our attention to the Nittany Lions' defense.

JOIN TODAY AND GET 30 DAYS FREE! | THE LIONS DEN FORUM | PENN STATE FOOTBALL 2025 RECRUITING CLASS | PENN STATE BASKETBALL RECRUITING

Despite losing quite a bit of talent to the NFL, Penn State returns 15 of its top 20 performers from last season according to Pro Football Focus. Furthermore, the Nittany Lions return eight of their top 10 defensive performers from a season ago.

Those departures that ranked inside the top-20 performers were DE Chop Robinson (NFL), DE Adisa Isaac (NFL), S King Mack (transfer), S Keaton Ellis (NFL), DT Jordan van den Berg (transfer).

With that being said, here are the Nittany Lions' top 10 returning defenders for the 2024 season according to Pro Football Focus.

10. DT Hakeem Beamon (70.4)

Coming in at No. 10 is defensive tackle Hakeem Beamon. Entering his final year with the program, Beamon is coming off a season in which he recorded 12 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and one sack. Despite not putting up flashy numbers, Beamon graded out well as a pass rusher (71.3) with 14 total quarterback pressures and 11 hurries on the season. He was also solid against the run according to PFF with a 65.3 run defense grade.

9.CB Cam Miller (73.0)

Miller is expected to step up and be a big part of Penn State replacing the trio of Kalen King, Johnny Dixon, and Daequan Hardy this fall. The stats back up that expectation as well. Last season, Miller had Penn State's sixth highest pass coverage grade at 72.5 He also had strong grades when it came to his tackling (85.1), thanks to just one missed tackle on the season. He also had a high pass rush grade at 80.4, recording three sacks over the course of the season to go along with 24 tackles and four tackles for loss.

T-7. DT Zane Durant (76.4)

Durant may not put up huge numbers with just 17 tackles last season including 5.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, but the Florida native is an integral part to Penn State's defensive line. He was very good last season against the run (77.2) and was also a quality pass rusher (66.3) with 13 total pressures and 10 quarterback hurries on the season.

T-7. S Jaylen Reed (76.4)

Reed, a key part of Penn State's secondary, was the program's fourth best defender in coverage (74.7) last season only behind Dominic DeLuca (90.8), Kevin Winston Jr (86.8), and Kobe King (79.1). Across 19 targets, Reed allowed 12 receptions for 128 yards and one touchdown while recording two interceptions. He also had 46 total tackles on the season including four tackles for loss and one sack.

6. DE Dani Dennis-Sutton (77.5)

A player that everyone around the program is expecting to explode this season, Dennis-Sutton impressed in his first year as a consistent piece on Penn State's defensive line. In 13 games, he was one of Penn State's top pass rushers, earning a higher pass rushing grade (81.0) than notables such as Curtis Jacobs (77.1), Zuriah Fisher (75.0), and Adisa Isaac (72.9). He was credited 30 total quarterback pressures, 19 hurries, six hits, and five sacks on the season by Pro Football Focus though the official stats only credit him with 3.5 sacks. Dennis-Sutton also showed to be a quality run stopper on the edge and a sure tackler, only missing two tackles on the season.

5. LB Keon Wylie (81.0)

Perhaps someone that Penn State fans didn't expect to see this high on the list. Wylie only saw a little over 100 snaps in 2023 but flashed when on the field. He graded out well across the board including an 80.4 pass rush grade and a 73.6 coverage grade. In his 100 snaps, Wylie recorded 17 tackles, five tackles for loss, and three sacks. Look for the Philadelphia native to have potentially an even bigger impact in 2024.

4. LB Kobe King (83.4)

Penn State's starting middle linebacker, Kobe King was the leader in the middle of the defense. He was especially strong against the run (85.3) and in coverage (79.1). He was the Nittany Lions' second leading tackler on the season with 59 tackles including six tackles for loss and a sack-and-a-half. He also had one fumble recovery.

3. LB Tony Rojas (83.5)

A rising star in Penn State's defense, Rojas will have an opportunity to step into the role left by Curtis Jacobs in Penn State's defense as the starting weak-side linebacker. As a true freshman, Rojas was phenomenal for Penn State in his opportunities on the field recording 22 tackles including 3.5 tackles for loss and one interception. He graded out well in all facets of the game; run defense (78.4), tackling (77.1), pass rush (88.6), and coverage (70.0).

2. LB Dominic DeLuca (87.1)

Mr. Steady Eddy in the middle of the Nittany Lions defense. DeLuca recorded 29 tackles last season including 4.5 tackles for loss and one sack. He also had two interceptions returning one of them for a touchdown. He graded out very well against the run (84.7) and in coverage (90.8). He allowed seven receptions on 14 targets for 87 yards and no touchdowns.

1. Kevin Winston Jr. (89.2)

No surprises here, arguably the nation's top safety. Winston Jr was phenomenal across the board last season with a run defense grade of 90.6, a tackling grade of 92.8, and a coverage grade of 86.4. His lowest grade was his pass rush grade of 60.8. He missed zero tackles last season while recording 61 total on the season including 21 stops. On 20 targets, he allowed just 10 receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns. He also had one interception and three pass breakups.