Projecting the Depth Chart of a Very New Penn State Defense

The Nittany Lions will populate D'Anton Lynn's new defense with plenty of transfers.

Penn State Nittany Lions safety Omarion Davis (27) attempts to tackle running back Quinton Martin Jr. (25) during the Blue-White spring practice. at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

If you expect Penn State's offense to look different next season, you'll barely recognize the defense. It will be new even to head coach Matt Campbell, who hired D'Anton Lynn from USC to remake not only what Penn State ran last year but also what Iowa State ran over the past 10.

Lynn, a former all-Big Ten cornerback at Penn State, won strong early reviews during spring drills for his patience and comprehensive teaching ability. He also has a knack for matching personnel and scheme, which didn't go so well for the Nittany Lions last year.

And Lynn will have plenty of new personnel, as 19 of the team's 40 transfers play defense. The Nittany Lions finished spring drills with more questions on defense than on offense, where the Iowa State connection is strong. Here's a preview of the defense as training camp approaches.

Projected Penn State defensive depth chart

Position	First Team	Second Team
Defensive End	*Alexander McPherson (So.)	Max Granville (So.)
Defensive Tackle	*Siale Taupaki (Sr.)	*Keanu Williams (Sr.)
Defensive Tackle	*Armstrong Nnodim (So.)	Ty Blanding (Jr.)
Defensive End	*Ikenna Ezeogu (Sr.)	Yvan Kemajou (So.)
Linebacker	Tony Rojas (Jr.)	Alex Tatsch (So.)
Linebacker	*Caleb Bacon (So.)	*Cael Brezina (Jr.)
Linebacker	*Kooper Ebel (Sr.)	Cam Smith (Fr.)
Cornerback	Audavion Collins (Sr.)	Zion Tracy (Sr.)
Safety	*Marcus Neal Jr. (Jr.)	*Jamison Patton (Sr.)
Safety	*Jeremiah Cooper (Sr.)	Vaboue Toure (So.)
Cornerback	Daryus Dixson (So.)	Jahmir Joseph (Fr.)

Penn State defensive notes

Iowa State Cyclones' defensive back Marcus Neal Jr. celebrates with assistant coach Deon Broomfield after an interception against Kansas. | Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As the depth chart suggests, Penn State's defense will rely heavily on transfers. We project just three returning Nittany Lions in the starting lineup, which presumes linebacker Tony Rojas comes back healthy from his ACL tear by September. Rojas believes he will, though he'll need some restorative snaps during the non-conference schedule.

Head coach Matt Campbell brought 10 defensive transfers with him from Iowa State, but two of the most pivotal newcomers are from UCLA. Defensive tackles Siale Taupaki and Keanu Williams represent the biggest defensive shift Lynn will make with Campbell.

Taupaki and Williams both played for Lynn two years ago at UCLA and understand the defense he runs. At Iowa State, Campbell ran a 3-3-5 base defense that Penn State certainly could deploy. But Lynn's base will move in the 4-3 (or 4-2-5) direction, girded by size in the middle.

Penn State's five new tackles all weigh at least 319 pounds, with Taupaki (337) and Williams (329) covering more ground. They're also experienced: Taupaki is an eighth-year player, and Williams is a redshirt senior who began his career at Oregon.

Joining them is Oklahoma State transfer Armstrong Nnodim, who emerged as the positon's spring standout and quickly earned a major role in the lineup. Junior Dallas Vakalahi (Utah) and returning tackle Ty Blanding will round out the rotation.

The roster's biggest question mark is defensive end, which has apparent depth but no true No. 1 edge rusher. Ikenna Ezeogu (Iowa State) could become one as a redshirt senior, and Colorado transfer Alexander McPherson emerged from a competitive spring with designs on a starting spot. Sophomore Yvan Kemajou made strides for the Nittany Lions last year, and Max Granville returns from an injury to reclaim the course he began in 2024.

Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Tony Rojas sacks Villanova Wildcats quarterback Tanner Maddocks during the second quarter at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Rojas is Penn State's most important leverage player, as Lynn can build a defense around him. But Campbell fortified the linebacker position with four players from Iowa State, notably starters Caleb Bacon and Kooper Ebel. The duo combined for 17.5 tackles for loss last season and, with fellow former Cyclone Cael Brezina, form one of the better units.

But Penn State's defensive strength (and perhaps the team's overall top unit) is the secondary. Associate head coach Terry Smith was instrumental in bringing back five of the team's top cornerbacks, including projected starters Audavion Collins and Daryus Dixson.

Collins, a redshirt senior, is playing to cultivate draft capital this season. And after his exceptional performance in the Pinstripe Bowl as a freshman, Dixson is playing to become a future first-rounder. Penn State's best overall football player could be corner Zion Tracy, as Campbell said, and he'll be a snap-count leader in the group.

With the corners returning, Campbell was able to bring three safeties from Iowa State. Two should start, led by Marcus Neal Jr., who paced the Cyclones with 11 tackles for loss last year. Neal, a junior, already is getting looks in the 2027 NFL Draft class.

Redshirt senior Jeremiah Cooper is the projected starter with Neal, and his healthy return would give Penn State one of the Big Ten's most formidable secondaries. Cooper started four games for Iowa State at cornerback before tearing an ACL. He'll return to safety, where he played three seasons and was a two-time all-Big 12 pick (first team in 2023) and the conference's 2022 defensive freshman of the year.

When healthy, Cooper is a polished, gifted defender. But like Rojas, he's recovering from an early season ACL tear that could limit his non-conference snaps.

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