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Penn State football: 6 Nittany Lions named top 100 players in college football

Six Nittany Lion standouts have been ranked among the nation’s top 100 players.

Published

4 months ago

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Penn State football, top 100
Sep 14, 2019; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lion players sing their alma mater after defeating the Pittsburgh Panthers at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports

The countdown to the first game of the 2023 college football season continues, with yesterday marking 100 more days until kickoff. In celebration of this milestone, On3 released their highly anticipated list of the top 100 players in college football. Notably, the list features six standout Nittany Lions, all of whom have made significant contributions to the success of Penn State football thus far.

Six Penn State football players ranked among top 100 in the game

Six Penn State football stars have earned spots among the top 100 players in college football, with two of them even securing positions in the top 10. Impressively, five out of the six Nittany Lions were ranked within the top 35 players in the sport; the only exception was linebacker Curtis Jacobs, who will undoubtedly be driven to elevate his performance as he aims for a Big Ten title this upcoming season.

Let’s take a look at the six Lions who made On3’s coveted list:

Olu Fashanu (7)

The highest-ranked Nittany Lion on the list is Olu Fashanu, who made the noteworthy decision to return to Penn State football despite his NFL Draft stock skyrocketing. Fashanu has been generating significant national attention, with draft experts considering him a potential top-5 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Furthermore, he is widely regarded as one of the most outstanding all-around players in college football, earning a spot among the nation’s top 10 players according to multiple sources.

Kalen King (10)

The exceptional Penn State football secondary will be spearheaded by none other than preseason All-American Kalen King, who showcased his talent in impressive fashion last year. With the departure of Joey Porter Jr., who established himself as one of the finest cornerbacks in Penn State’s history, King steps up as this year’s CB1. Encouraging reports from spring ball and practice interviews indicate that Kalen King has been surpassing expectations as the 2023 season approaches, boding well for the success of Penn State football.

Abdul Carter (16)

Ranked just outside the top 15 at an impressive No. 16, the next standout from Penn State football is none other than rising sophomore sensation Abdul Carter. During his true freshman season last fall, Carter showcased his exceptional skills, drawing comparisons to renowned players like Micah Parsons and others. His outstanding performance earned him recognition as a Freshman All-American, setting the stage for even greater achievements this upcoming season. It seems that Carter is poised for a remarkable journey filled with growth and success in the coming fall.

Chop Robinson (25)

The final Penn State football standout that is ranked in the top 25 is Chop Robinson, one of the nation’s elite pass rushers. Last fall, Robinson stood out during his first-ever season in the Blue and White — the young EDGE secured more QB pressures than any player in college football, and was PFF’s top-ranked pass rusher. This fall, Robinson will return to the sidelines in Happy Valley, and is looking for even greater success.

Nick Singleton (33)

The fifth Nittany Lion to earn a spot among the top 100 is running back Nick Singleton, who made a lasting impression as one of the finest Penn State football running backs in recent memory during his true freshman season. Last year, the highly touted five-star recruit made history by becoming the first Nittany Lion to achieve a 100-yard rushing game since 2020 (Keyvone Lee) and the first Penn State running back to surpass 1,000 rushing yards in a single season since 2018 (Miles Sanders). As the new season approaches, expectations are high for Singleton to continue his exceptional performance and deliver another campaign of elite-caliber play.

Curtis Jacobs (100)

The last Penn State football standout to secure a spot on this prestigious list is linebacker Curtis Jacobs. Alongside Abdul Carter, Jacobs anchors one of the most formidable linebacker units in the country heading into the upcoming season. Penn State has earned its reputation as “Linebacker U” for a reason, and history suggests that Jacobs is poised for a breakout campaign in the Blue and White this fall. Though he narrowly made the list, ranking at No. 100, Jacobs’ impact and potential may be underrated, and his presence on the field is undoubtedly significant.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on our social media. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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FOOTBALL

Penn State football defenders respond to statement performance

The Penn State football defense sent a statement to everyone in the country last night with their performance.

Published

2 hours ago

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September 24, 2023

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Penn State football, Adisa Isaac, defensive unit, Manny Diaz
Penn State's Adisa Isaac celebrates after recovering a fumble during a White Out football game against Iowa Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in State College, Pa. The Nittany Lions shut out the Hawkeyes, 31-0.

The Penn State football defense has been elite early on this season. Against Illinois, they forced five turnovers including four interceptions. Then, last night on the national stage the defensive unit shut out Iowa 31-0. They also caused another four turnovers last night, all came from forced fumbles. So, that’s 9 turnovers caused in the past two games, Manny Diaz has this group dialed in. After the game, we caught up with Adisa Isaac and others who shared their thoughts on this statement performance.

Penn State football defenders respond to statement performance

Defensively, Penn State allowed 76 total yards of offense, total domination from start to finish. Iowa finished the night averaging 1.2 yards per rushing attempt. This unit understood the assignment on Saturday night and they took care of business. We asked Adisa Isaac about his thoughts on this statement performance.

Isaac said, “We have a dominant defense. That shouldn’t be no secret but I feel like we just showed in a shutout against a ranked opponent that we have some stuff that’s flowing and it’s only going to get better.”

He wasn’t the only one. After the game star linebacker, Abdul Carter tweeted “BEST DEFENSE IN THE COUNTRY!!!! #WEARE.”

It shows the energy and the confidence that this unit is starting to play with. It’s at the perfect point in the season for Manny Diaz to have this defensive unit firing on all cylinders. As for Iowa offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, he will have to pick up the pace on his lofty goal of scoring 25 points per game. After the Penn State loss, Iowa is only averaging 21.25 points per game.

The pass rush got home

One of the questions James Franklin was asked earlier this week surrounded the topic of lack of stats from star defenders. One of those players was potential 2024 first-round pick Chop Robinson who picked up his first sack of the season. This was also a strip sack where Robinson caused a turnover. Amin Vanover and Adisa Isaac also collected sacks against Iowa last night.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on our social media. Also, be sure to check out our new site shop. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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BREAKING: Penn State football lands 4-star LB, top 100 player nationally

Penn State lands top 100 nationally ranked linebacker DJ McClary after the whiteout weekend.

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5 hours ago

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September 24, 2023

By

Penn State football, DJ McClary, 2025 recruiting
Sep 23, 2023; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin shakes the hands of invited recruits upon the team’s arrival prior to the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports

The whiteout is one of the biggest weekends for the Penn State football team. Not only because of the game that was played. But arguably more importantly, it allows Penn State to showcase its greatness to recruits. The atmosphere, the fans, the community, all of these elements factor into a player’s decision to commit to Penn State. James Franklin made sure that he thanked each player and parent after the game as well for making it to State College. Now, DJ McClary has made his decision to join the 2025 recruiting class for the Nittany Lions.

Penn State football lands 4-star LB, top 100 player nationally

Earlier this week, a crystal ball was placed by 247sports Brian Dohn for DJ McClary to land at Penn State. Now, McClary has made his decision to play his college football at Linebacker U. McClary is a four-star recruit and he is a top-100 recruit in the 2025 recruiting class according to 247sports composite rankings. He is from Jersey City, New Jersey, and chose Penn State over Ohio State, USC, Tennesee, Michigan, and several other schools.

DJ McClary is currently the 3rd highest-rated player in New Jersey and is a massive addition to the 2025 recruiting class at Penn State. James Franklin is hopeful that this is one of many commitments that will result from the 31-0 victory over Iowa. After watching the defense last night, how would you not want to play linebacker at Penn State?

Re-racking the 2025 recruiting class

After recently losing Jaelyne Matthews to a de-commitment this is how the 2025 recruiting class is shaping up for Penn State. Four-star RB KiAndrea Barker, three-star S Omari Gaines, and now DJ McClary.

The Nittany Lions are optimistic that they can land four-star running back Tiqwai Hayes who will make his decision tomorrow.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on our social media. Also, be sure to check out our new site shop. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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FOOTBALL

JUST IN: Penn State football moves up in the latest AP Poll

The Penn State football team has received its next set of rankings in the latest AP Poll.

Published

5 hours ago

on

September 24, 2023

By

Penn State foootball, AP Poll, James Franklin,
Penn State quarterback Drew Allar prepares to throw a 3-yard touchdown pass to KeAndre Lambert-Smith during a White Out football game against Iowa Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in State College, Pa. The Nittany Lions shut out the Hawkeyes, 31-0.

The Penn State football team is coming off one of its more dominating performances in recent history. Defeating the No.24 ranked Iowa Hawkeyes 31-0. Not only did Penn State shut out Iowa, but they also controlled the entire game in all three phases. James Franklin and his coaching staff had this team prepared to go to battle last night and they did just that. Now, that the game is past us, it’s time for the next set of rankings in the AP Poll to be released.

Penn State football moves up in the latest AP Poll

Penn State entered the matchup against Iowa as the No. 7 team in the AP Poll. Obviously, the Nittany Lions took care of business and have shown that they can be one of the best teams in the country. But around the country, many teams held their own.

Ohio State went into South Bend as the No. 6 ranked team. The Buckeyes defeated No. 9 Notre Dame 17-14 on a last-second rushing touchdown. This has boosted their ranking as the Buckeyes are now the No. 4 ranked team. Penn State will get their chance to defeat the Buckeyes on October 21st when they travel to Columbus, Ohio.

This week, Penn State received the No. 6 ranking in the AP Poll. It’s challenging to move up the AP Poll when no chaos occurs ahead of your team. That’s the position that Penn State has found themselves up to this point. But now, with Ohio State and Penn State taking care of business they were able to move up. The Washington Huskies are closely trailing Penn State and they’re certainly another team that we need to keep an eye on moving forward.

Nittany Lions next challenge

Penn State hits the road again next weekend. They will face a hungry Northwestern team. This will be another 11 a.m. central time kickoff for the Penn State football team. James Franklin will need to get his team motivated to play in this next conference challenge. The Wildcats are coming off of an overtime upset victory over Minnesota. The matchup will appear on Big Ten Network (BTN) next Saturday.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on our social media. Also, be sure to check out our new site shop. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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