Draft Scout Warning: Undefined variable $TeamName in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\notesteam.php on line 20 Player News, College Football: Warning: Undefined variable $TeamName in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\notesteam.php on line 20

The Nittany Lions have two talented players at the top of the depth chart, but their statuses at the end of the 2021 season were far from certain. PJ Mustipher lost the second half of the season to an injury, but is expected to be ready for the team's season opener, according to head coach James Franklin. Beamon, on the other hand, didn't play in 2021 due to undisclosed reasons. Franklin said in late September that he was out but would not clarify why.

Despite the uncertainty, both have the talent to make a major impact in 2022. Mustipher started 15 games over the last two seasons and was one of the most consistent players on the defense in 2020 before turning into one of its best in 2021. He was having his best season before going down with his undisclosed lower body injury. The defensive tackle is a versatile interior lineman who can hold up against the run just as well as he can put pressure on the pocket. His wrestling background allowed him to have a head start when it comes to learning how to use leverage and hand fight in the trenches. He combines that technique with high level athleticism for his size at 6-foot-4, 329 pounds. - Centre Times

(DS#28 DT) rSr/2023

DT PJ Mustipher, Penn State
News Source: Centre Times
Share/Comment: Here

07/06/22 - Adisa Isaac, rSr/2024, Penn State, 6-4, 247 (DS#5 DE) + More +

Penn State lost an elite pass rusher when Arnold Ebiketie left for the 2022 NFL Draft, but the team's defensive end group might be able to make up for the loss if redshirt junior Adisa Isaac can rebound from a torn Achilles tendon in 2021, just as fans were waiting to see him team with Ebiketie to collapse the pocket. Isaac was set to be the team's top talent at the position before the injury took him out for the year. Now he should be able to take the spot and prove how good he is in 2022. The redshirt junior is an elite athlete who uses his speed and bend around the edge to get after quarterbacks.

He has excellent size at 6-foot-4, 244 pounds and should be able to continue adding strength to improve. Isaac adding power to his game will open up even more of his pass rushing but more importantly will make him more of a threat against the run. His greatest flaw is similar to Ebiketie's last season - he struggles when offensive linemen get downhill against him. - Centre Times

(DS#5 DE) rSr/2024

DE Adisa Isaac, Penn State
News Source: Centre Times
Share/Comment: Here

07/02/22 - Sean Clifford, rSr/2023, Penn State, 6-2, 218 (DS#20 QB) + More +

When Southern California and UCLA sent shockwaves through college sports by announcing their intention to join the Big Ten on Thursday, Penn State officials - from the university president to the baseball and softball coaches - expressed their excitement about the move. Football coach James Franklin was no different. "This is another big step in the ever-changing college football landscape and we embrace the change," Franklin said in a statement released by the university. "USC and UCLA are two institutions with a long-standing tradition of academic and athletic success. They will only strengthen our already very strong Big Ten Conference." If history is any guide, Franklin might regret the welcome mat the Nittany Lions laid out for their new conference mates.

In fact, the new rivals might end up being a Trojan horse. (Or a Bruin horse, maybe.) All-time, Penn State football is 6-10 against USC and UCLA. The Nittany Lions are 4-6 against the Trojans. The most recent meeting was a 52-49 USC victory in the 2017 Rose Bowl, won on a last-second 46-yard field goal. Freshman Sam Darnold threw for 453 yards and five touchdowns. Penn State also lost to Southern Cal in the Rose Bowl in 2009 and 1923. The Nittany Lions beat the Trojans in the 1982 Fiesta Bowl. Penn State is 2-4 all-time against UCLA, though the teams haven't faced off since 1968. In that meeting, a 21-6 PSU win, sophomore linebacker Jack Ham blocked a second-quarter punt that was returned for a touchdown. Penn State finished the season 11-0. - Tribune Review

(DS#20 QB) rSr/2023

QB Sean Clifford, Penn State
News Source: Tribune Review
Share/Comment: Here

07/01/22 - Juice Scruggs, rSr/2023, Penn State, 6-3, 305 (DS#10 C) + More +

Juice Scruggs is the lone returning starter on the interior and should be a stabilizing force for the entire offensive line. He's stepped up as a leader, snapping the ball after practice on occasion during the spring with the young quarterbacks, and has already proven himself on the field. Scruggs excelled at center last season, showing he's a plus in both the running game and the passing game. He continues to add strength at 6-foot-3, 319 pounds, but has good length to help him with longer defensive tackles. He's strong enough not to get overpowered by defensive linemen, but has good enough feet to stay in front of quicker pass rushers that kick inside on passing downs. Not to mention, there's no reason to believe he's not handling the mental aspect of calling out protections as the leader on the line. - Centre Times

(DS#10 C) rSr/2023

C Juice Scruggs, Penn State
News Source: Centre Times
Share/Comment: Here

06/29/22 - Drew Shelton, Sr/2026, Penn State, 6-5, 308 (DS#8 OT) + More +

One of Penn State's best players in its 2022 class was an offensive tackle, making this an easy choice. Shelton is long and lean at 6-foot-5, 275 pounds but is a great athlete for a tackle. His frame should allow for him to gain the weight needed to play tackle. That's a good thing, because he may need to add 50 pounds to be able to play in the Big Ten. Shelton could play either tackle position, but his length means he'll likely stick on the left side in the long term, protecting the quarterback's blind side. He's not going to contribute as a freshman - and it's unlikely he even does as a redshirt freshman in 2023 - but Shelton's addition to the program means Penn State has a potential building block on the offensive line in the long run. Those types of players are not easy to find, increasing his value to the team even more. - Centre Times

(DS#8 OT) Sr/2026

OT Drew Shelton, Penn State
News Source: Centre Times
Share/Comment: Here

06/25/22 - *Brenton Strange, Jr/2023, Penn State, 6-4, 253 (DS#9 TE) + More +

Brenton Strange is entering his fourth year with the program and has become more of an all-around tight end in his time in Happy Valley. The 6-foot-3, 248-pound redshirt junior doesn't have elite size but he puts what he has to good use. He was an improved blocker in the 2021 season, showing the willingness to mix it up in the running game and to chip pass rushers in the passing game. It helps that he was flexed out more often, going in motion on occasion to set him up for success when initiating contact with defenders. That type of H-Back role - where he's in the backfield, the slot and attached as a true tight end - should continue to be beneficial for Strange as a blocker.

It should also help him as a pass catcher, where he can use his speed to create advantages. Strange is a great athlete who has more suddenness than you'd expect for someone with his build. He can create separation in the middle of the field, and has the strength to overpower safeties and slot corners when he's flexed out in the slot. He has an opportunity to become more of a security blanket for redshirt senior starting quarterback Sean Clifford, who lost his primary one when Jahan Dotson left for the NFL. Strange has the build and catching ability to make Clifford feel comfortable throwing to him in a pinch and that should get him more targets closer to the line of scrimmage. But while Strange is the likely starter, it's no guarantee he gets the most reps thanks to the high level of competition behind him. - Centre Times

(DS#9 TE) Jr/2023

TE *Brenton Strange, Penn State
News Source: Centre Times
Share/Comment: Here

06/23/22 - Mitchell Tinsley, rSr/2023, Penn State, 6-0, 199 (DS#57 WR) + More +

Replacing Dotson will be a group effort but the production necessary to do so will likely come at the top of the depth chart. Both Washington and Lambert-Smith have proven they can contribute at Penn State, while Tinsley was one of the most productive receivers in the country last season at Western Kentucky. While the two returners have the most chemistry with starting quarterback Sean Clifford, Mitchell Tinsley has the type of experience that could lead to him becoming the senior's top option on the outside. He was the second-leading receiver on the Hilltoppers last year with 1,402 yards. Yes, you read that right. Tinsley had nearly 1,500 yards and was second on the team in receiving.

The Western Kentucky offense was one of the most explosive in the country and the new Nittany Lion was a big part of that. He's a strong and physical receiver at 6-foot-1, 203 pounds who attacks the ball at the point of the catch and isn't easy to bring down in the open field. Tinsley, who will wear Dotson's old number - five - for the Nittany Lions, has the physical traits to give Penn State a different type of weapon all over the field. He compares favorably to former Nittany Lion Chris Godwin, and being 80% of the player Godwin was would be a huge win for the program next season. - Centre Times

(DS#57 WR) rSr/2023

WR Mitchell Tinsley, Penn State
News Source: Centre Times
Share/Comment: Here

06/22/22 - *Joey Porter Jr., Jr/2023, Penn State, 6-3, 198 (DS#3 CB) + More +

Defensive back Joey Porter, who signed with Penn State in 2019 as the No. 324 prospect nationally and No. 33 cornerback in the 247Sports Composite, is already moving up boards as a potential first-round pick. The 6-foot-2 cornerback has great length for the position and the size to compete with outside receivers in the NFL. He is very solid around the ball and had 51 tackles in 2021, which is impressive for an outside cornerback prospect. - Penn State Football

(DS#3 CB) Jr/2023

CB *Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
News Source: Penn State Football
Share/Comment: Here

06/14/22 - Sean Clifford, rSr/2023, Penn State, 6-2, 218 (DS#20 QB) + More +

For the second year in a row Sean Clifford is likely to - and should be - the most scrutinized player on Penn State's roster. He's entering his sixth season on campus and fourth as the starting quarterback. The team's play has fluctuated in that time, with its appearance in the Cotton Bowl in his first year as a starter being the high point. Since then the Nittany Lions have generally been worse with certain high points mixed in. Their hot start in 2021 was arguably Clifford's best stretch of play, but in all reality it wasn't drastically different from who he has proven to be in the past.

He received plenty of credit for throwing for more than 400 yards against an inferior opponent like Villanova, but his best game came against Auburn. There were some of the errant passes to the middle of the field that have been part of his game since he became the starter, but Clifford was mostly able to manage a relatively mistake-free game. That's the type of performance he'll need to have consistently in 2022. Not one where he lights the world on fire and carries the offense, but one where he adequately distributes the ball to his playmakers and lets them make things happen in space. Clifford is a good athlete who ran the ball much less last year under offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich and that should be the case again this season. - Centre Times

(DS#20 QB) rSr/2023

QB Sean Clifford, Penn State
News Source: Centre Times
Share/Comment: Here

06/10/22 - *Joey Porter Jr., Jr/2023, Penn State, 6-3, 198 (DS#3 CB) + More +

Penn State now has an exclusive deal with a company for both physical and digital trading cards. Fanatics Collectibles and Topps, which was recently acquired by Fanatics, announced deals with several universities that include both exclusive and non-exclusive co-branded trading card products, incorporating official university trademarks and featuring current student-athletes and former athletes playing in the NFL, NBA and MLB, according to a release.

Penn State is one of those universities, alongside Alabama, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Oregon, Texas A&M and others. The deal will take effect between 2023 and 2025. Later this year, Topps will also begin a scaled, non-exclusive program to design, manufacture and distribute trading cards showcasing current college football and basketball student-athletes for those schools and over 100 others. The deal was announced just a day after Penn State head coach James Franklin said the university needs to keep pace with other schools when it comes to NIL. - Centre Times

(DS#3 CB) Jr/2023

CB *Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
News Source: Centre Times
Share/Comment: Here

06/10/22 - Hunter Nourzad, rSr/2024, Penn State, 6-3, 317 (DS#8 C) + More +

Two of Penn State's biggest transfer additions have made their way to campus in time for the summer. Demeioun Robinson and Hunter Nourzad have both enrolled and could both play important roles in the season. Nourzad comes in as an offensive lineman best suited to play guard and according to Franklin will be in the competition along the interior. "He is a big, strong, powerful, thick guy," Franklin said. "... I think we've got really good competition at the guard position. I think we've got five guys that will be competing for those two starting jobs." - Centre Times

(DS#8 C) rSr/2024

C Hunter Nourzad, Penn State
News Source: Centre Times
Share/Comment: Here

06/08/22 - Chop Robinson, Jr/2024, Penn State, 6-3, 254 (DS#3 DE) + More +

Former Maryland Terrapins linebacker Demeioun 'Chop' Robinson is officially a member of the Penn State Nittany Lions. On Tuesday, the team announced that they have officially acquired Robinson out of the transfer portal. The former Terrapins linebacker arrived on campus this past week and has already begun working out with the football program for the summer. Excited about joining his new team, Robinson proclaimed the decision the "best decision of my life." As a true freshman at Maryland, Robinson got to touch the field quite often. He recorded 19 total tackles, 12 solos, and two sacks for the season. The six-foot-four, 250-pound Gaithersburg, Md, native will look to make an immediate impact on Penn State's defense for the 2022 season. Before landing with the Terrapins, Robinson was already very much on Penn State's radar. Robinson considered the Nittany Lions as a finalist alongside LSU, Ohio State, Clemson, and Michigan. - On3.com

(DS#3 DE) Jr/2024

DE Chop Robinson, Penn State
News Source: On3.com
Share/Comment: Here

06/07/22 - Paul Posluszny, Sr/2007, Penn State, 6-2, 238 (DS#1 OLB) + More +

Former Penn State football stars Paul Posluszny, Ki-Jana Carter and D.J. Dozier and ex-Pitt quarterback Matt Cavanaugh and running back Craig "Ironhead" Heyward have joined a group of 218 coaches and players whose names have been placed on the ballot for the National Football Foundation's College Hall of Fame's Class of 2023. Carter, Dozier and Posluszny have a chance to join 20 former Nittany Lions players, including 2022 inductee LaVar Arrington, as members of the Hall of Fame.

Five Penn State coaches are also past inductees. Cavanaugh and Heyward could become the 25th and 26th Pitt players or coach inducted. Posluszny, a graduate of Hopewell High School, was a first-team All-American outside linebacker at Penn State in 2005 and 2006. He is a two-time winner of the Chuck Bednarik Award, presented to the nation's top defensive player. In 2005, he won the Butkus Award, presented to the nation's top linebacker. - Tribune Review

(DS#1 OLB) Sr/2007

OLB Paul Posluszny, Penn State
News Source: Tribune Review
Share/Comment: Here

06/03/22 - *Parker Washington, rSo/2023, Penn State, 5-10, 204 (DS#20 WR) + More +

Penn State announced its theme games for the 2022 football season Wednesday afternoon, including its White Out game. The Nittany Lions will take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Oct. 22 in the White Out, in a game that will also serve as homecoming at Beaver Stadium and the yearly "Generations of Greatness" game - featuring Penn State's alternate uniforms. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. for the game. The White Out was one of seven theme games announced by the program in a video on its Twitter account.

One of the other key games announced was the Stripe Out game against Ohio State on Oct. 29. The game against the Buckeyes will be the first with fans at Beaver Stadium that isn't a White Out since 2009 when the program chose Iowa for the yearly game. This year's game against the Buckeyes does not have a scheduled kickoff, but it is not expected to be a night game. - Centre Times

(DS#20 WR) rSo/2023

WR *Parker Washington, Penn State
News Source: Centre Times
Share/Comment: Here

05/29/22 - *Joey Porter Jr., Jr/2023, Penn State, 6-3, 198 (DS#3 CB) + More +

The Big Ten announced three kickoff times for Penn State football Thursday afternoon after the Nittany Lions announced one Wednesday morning. The Nittany Lions will play the Purdue Boilermakers on the road Sept. 1 - a Thursday - at 8 p.m. in their season opener, which will air on Fox. They'll then take on the Ohio Bobcats at noon Sept. 10, which will air on ABC. Their homecoming game - an Oct. 22 matchup with the Minnesota Golden Gophers - will kick off at 7:30 p.m and air on a to be determined network. The three announcements come just over 24 hours after it was announced they'll play the Auburn Tigers at 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 17. That game will air on CBS, the first time Penn State has played on the network in 22 years. Those four games are the only ones of the NIttany Lions' 12 that have a scheduled kickoff time. - Centre Times

(DS#3 CB) Jr/2023

CB *Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
News Source: Centre Times
Share/Comment: Here

Previous 15 Notes

|Back to Page One|

Next 15 Notes

Warning: Undefined array key "TeamID" in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\2020rightcolteam.php on line 56

Warning: Undefined array key "DSTeamID" in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\2020rightcolteam.php on line 57

Penn State Football Videos

Buy Draft Scout Weekly

** Draft Scout Data **
(Everything Online PLUS)

Support Draft Scout

The Database Engine for NFLDraftScout.com, Draft Scout is being repurposed...Support the Future Development of ScoutNation.com...

Draft Scout Archives

** 2010-2022 Draft Scout Archives **
(Yearly Player Data Exports, Prospect Lists & More)

Draft Scout Future

100% Dedicated and Never Done

80% Innovated

45% Hidden

35% Built

2024 CFB/2025-2028 NFL Draft Scout

2023 CFB/2024-2027 NFL Draft Scout

NFL Draft Scout History

2022 Draft Scout

Draft Scout by Conference

2023 Draft Scout Offense

2023 Draft Scout Defense

2022 Draft Scout Offense

2022 Draft Scout Defense

Penn State Football Videos

Buy Draft Scout Weekly

Support Draft Scout

Draft Scout Archives

Draft Scout Future

Synergization

Did You Know?

Hidden Designs

Future Development