James Franklin predicts freshman LB to elevate his game ‘to a whole other level’ in 2025

An iconic position for Penn State football on the defensive side of the line of scrimmage, the Nittany Lions linebacker room is in somewhat of an unusual spot heading into 2025.

Kobe King is off to chase his dreams in the NFL, leaving Dom DeLuca and Tony Rojas as the unit’s returning starters. But behind the pair of veterans, Penn State possesses a large reserve of young – and mostly unproven – talent.

There will be plenty of opportunity for new and less well-known Nittany Lions to make a name for themselves in the room throughout the remainder of spring ball and into summer camp. James Franklin believes that redshirt freshman Anthony Speca is ready to do just that.

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“Just a very smart player, a very headsy player, got really good instincts,” Franklin said following practice on Tuesday. “Plays clean, and he’s got some athleticism to back it up as well. So to your point, [it] is still his first spring, so still a lot that he’s learning. But I know Coach [Dan] Connor has been very, very pleased with him.

“This spring will be really important, but I think what I’m excited to do is watch him in fall camp, once he’s really into the system and has had all summer to kind of refine it and gain confidence and take his game to a whole other level.”

Speca appeared in six games as a true freshman last fall, including the College Football Playoff. He led the team with five tackles against Kent State, and finished the year with eight total stops.

A four-year letterman at Pittsburgh Central Catholic, Speca was the No. 6 recruit in Pennsylvania per 247Sports.

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