State of Penn State: The Defensive Line

Though stacked with edge rushers, the Lions look to get bigger and more physical on the front four.

The 2024 NFL Draft could be a showcase for Penn State's defensive ends. If they progress accordingly, Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac should be high-round picks (Robinson already is projected as a first-rounder) and continue the Lions' wave of NFL defensive ends.

The Lions have had six ends drafted since 2016, notably Odafe Oweh as a 2021 first-rounder and Arnold Ebiketie (2022) and Yetur Gross-Matos (2020) as second-rounders. Penn State remains stacked with pass-rushers, but what about inside? That requires a look.

In the latest installment of our State of Penn State series, we examine what's in store for the defensive line in 2023.

Who's Here

Ends

• Sr. Adisa Isaac
• Jr. Chop Robinson
• Jr. Zuriah Fisher
• Sr. Smith Vilbert
• Jr. Amin Vanover
• Soph. Dani Dennis-Sutton

Tackles

• Sr. Hakeem Beamon
• Sr. Dvon Ellies
• Soph. Zane Durant
• Jr. Coziah Izzard
• Soph. Davon Townley
• Soph. Jordan van den Berg
• Fr. Kaleb Artis

Who's Gone

• DT P.J. Mustipher
• DE Nick Tarburton
• Rodney McGraw (transfer)
• Fatorma Mulbah (transfer)

The Situation

Defensive coordinator Manny Diaz has quite a tool box at end. Robinson and Isaac return a combined 21 tackles for loss (with 9.5 sacks) and could be the top pass-rush duo in the Big Ten. Unless Dennis-Sutton (three sacks as a freshman) displaces one of them. At the very least, this trio will rotate fresh talent off the edge all game.

Inside, Beamon is a returning starter and anchor, while Izzard played a ton despite missing the first four games for undisclosed reasons. Ellies is experienced, and Durant is the breakthrough player to watch in 2023, giving Penn State's defensive line another range of rotational players.

The Questions

Who replaces Mustipher? This might be the biggest position of need on defense. Mustipher formed the defense's foundation, even as he rounded slowly back from a 2021 injury, and collected a lot of debris inside to free tacklers around him. Tackle is such an issue that coach James Franklin still is considering a spring trip to the portal.

Further, remember when coach James Franklin questioned his team's size and strength after the loss at Michigan? Defensive line is the biggest issue. Beamon gamely played at 260 pounds, Durant still is growing and Penn State's bigger linemen haven't announced themselves yet.

For all its pass-rushing prowess, this defense's front four needs to be thicker and sturdier against the run. That's an offseason directive from the head coach, which he began making in Ann Arbor.

"We’re undersized at some spots," Franklin said after the loss. "Everybody thinks they’re Aaron Donald now and they’re not. Like everybody sees AD playing undersized and everybody thinks they’re that guy, and there’s been one of those guys in the last 100 years of football.

"We need to be bigger, we need to be more physical ... it's all of it. We own all of it."

By the Numbers

• 91.6: Robinson's edge-rusher rating, according to Pro Football Focus (highest among Power 5 rushers last season).
• 15:5: Tackles for loss recorded by Penn State's DTs in 2022. The defense finished with 104. Beamon led all tackles with 6.
• 3: Isaac's sacks at Auburn. He made 11 on the season. 
• 38: Tackles by Mustipher, tops among DTs. However, Mustipher did not register a sack.
• 1: Interception by Dennis-Sutton, who also made 3.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks and 3 hurries.

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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.