True freshman Tony Rojas rated as No.1 pass rusher in his class for 2023 season

The Penn State football team had an impressive 2023 recruiting class that stepped into the field this season. Some of those players will redshirt as they did not see the field, while others will not. One of the most impactful newcomers this season was true freshman linebacker Tony Rojas. After the 2023 Blue-White game, everyone figured Rojas would see the field in some capacity this season. While he may not have had an impact like Abdul Carter did in 2022, he managed to lead all true freshmen in this category in 2023.

Tony Rojas led all true freshmen in the country in this category

Tony Rojas is a true freshman linebacker who was a hidden gem in the 2023 recruiting class for the Penn State football team. Rojas was a four-star prospect and the No. 3 player in Virginia in the 2023 cycle, according to 247Sports.

Rojas appeared in 8 games for the Nittany Lions this season and made the most of his opportunity on the field. According to PFF College, Tony Rojas was the No. 1 rated linebacker in terms of pass rush grade coming in at 86.6%. He was ranked above Cal’s Cade Uluave and Whit Weeks from LSU to round out the top 3.

Top 3️⃣ True Freshmen LBs (@PFF_College Pass Rush Grade) for the 2023 Regular Season:

1. Tony Rojas #7 LB c/o '22 (@247Sports composite)
2. Cade Uluave #75 LB c/o '22
3. Whit Weeks #12 LB c/o '22 pic.twitter.com/RUtXqt1CkN

— Daniel Vlosky  (@geauXedits) November 27, 2023

Bowl Season will be huge for Rojas

With the 2023 regular season coming to a close, Tony Rojas will get one more chance to lace up his cleats. The Nittany Lions will play in a bowl game, and depending on who opts out to prepare for the NFL Draft, an opportunity could be at large for Rojas. For example, if Curtis Jacobs decides to sit out of the bowl game, one would assume Rojas would see an uptick in playing time. He might even start the game.

We will keep you covered with all of those decisions in the weeks to come here at Basic Blues Nation.

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