New Penn State football transfer defensive lineman graded top 10 in the Big Ten

Two months ago, following the 2023 Penn State football spring game in Happy Valley, head coach James Franklin pointed out a specific position of need for the Nittany Lions ahead of the fall opener: defensive tackle. Not long after, the Blue and White grabbed Alonzo Ford, a huge interior defensive lineman, out of the transfer portal, effectively addressing this need with a talented rising star.

Recently, Pro Football Focus graded the top 10 defensive linemen in the Big Ten conference heading into the 2023 season, and Alonzo Ford, the new transfer defensive lineman for Penn State football, made the cut.

New Penn State football transfer defensive lineman graded as a top 10 DT in the Big Ten conference

Alonzo Ford is one of the less-talked-about additions from the transfer portal for the Penn State Nittany Lions ahead of the 2023 season. However, as a huge interior defensive lineman, he is poised for a remarkable year in the Blue and White and is already one of the top-graded defensive tackles in the entire Big Ten conference.

Recently, Pro Football Focus (college) released its rankings of the top 10 graded Big Ten defensive linemen heading into the 2023 season, and Ford made the cut as the No. 9 player on the list.

As a freshman in 2021, Alonzo Ford started all 13 games at defensive tackle for Old Dominion. He led his team’s defensive line in tackles with 38 and recorded 2.5 sacks, despite his lack of experience. Last fall, Ford continued to impress, earning recognition as an All-Sun Belt honorable mention during his true sophomore season.

Since joining the Nittany Lions, Ford has added some weight, now standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing over 280 pounds. He still has room to grow in order to become a top Big Ten defensive tackle; however, his Penn State football career is already off to an impressive start.

In just a few months, keep an eye on Alonzo Ford as he pushes for a breakout season in his first year as a Nittany Lion.

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