BREAKING: Penn State defensive end Smith Vilbert out for the season

Penn State defensive end Smith Vilbert is expected to miss the entirety of the 2023 season, it was reported on Sunday. The news, first reported by The Athletic and later confirmed by 247Sports, On3, and others, comes as Penn State football wraps up media day availability on Sunday afternoon.

Penn State football defensive end Smith Vilbert out for the season

On Sunday afternoon, Audrey Snyder of the Athletic first reported that defensive end Smith Vilbert would miss the entirety of the 2023 season due to injury. The news was later confirmed by 247Sports and On3, among others.

DE Smith Vilbert is out for the season due to injury, @TheAthletic has learned.

— Audrey Snyder (@audsnyder4) August 6, 2023

Vilbert missed the entire regular season in 2022 due to undisclosed reasons. He did appear in the Rose Bowl in January, but did not record any stats in that game. Smith Vilbert has seven total tackles in his career, including six solo tackles in the 2021 season. Vilbert was a three-star prospect out of the state of New Jersey in the class of 2019.

The injury is a disappointing blow for Vilbert, who expected to be a key rotational piece this season. Of course, the Penn State defensive line will be headlined by standouts such as Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac. The pair combined for 54 tackles, including 9.5 sacks last season. In Vilbert’s absence, many fans will look to rising sophomore Dani Dennis-Sutton to come into his own this season.

*Note: This is a breaking news story, and the information included is subject to change.

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