Penn State's 5 Defensive Players with Most to Gain During Fall Camp

Penn State Football kicks off training camp in just a few weeks before an August 31 week one showdown with West Virginia.

While Penn State returns a ton of talent on the 2024 roster, many of the starting defensive players from Penn State’s historic 2023 defense left for the NFL this offseason.

With many starting spots to fill, the competition in fall camp will be extremely high for new defensive coordinator Tom Allen’s defense.

Five defensive players with the most to gain during Penn State Football training camp

Safety Zakee Wheatley

Redshirt junior Zakee Wheatley has long been on the radar of Penn State fans since he was named the takeaway king in spring 2022.

Since then, Wheatley has played in all 26 of Penn State’s games in a backup role at safety. Now, heading into 2024, Wheatley will have a major opportunity in fall camp, both for reasons he can control and some that he can’t.

With Tom Allen taking over Penn State’s defense from Manny Diaz, some pieces and verbiage are changing from the way Penn State’s defense was run over the past few years. One of these changes is the addition of a new “Lion” position on defense, which will essentially be an extra defensive back for the defense in certain packages.

This new position potentially benefits Wheatley the most on Penn State’s defense, even if he is not in the competition for being the Lion this fall.

Instead, fellow safety Jaylen Reed leads the battle for the Lion position, which would move Wheatley into the safety spot to fill Reed’s place. A strong fall camp could cement Wheatley as the third safety on Penn State’s roster and earn him the extra reps that are associated with Reed’s move into the Lion this fall.

Safety Jaylen Reed

Speaking of Jaylen Reed, Reed will have the opportunity to earn “starting” positions at both safety and the Lion during camp.

Reed is a sure tackler and is not afraid to come up and make a play in the box.

As such, the new Lion position could be a perfect fit for the senior safety that ranked fifth in tackles and tied for second in tackles for a loss among defensive backs on Penn State’s roster in 2023. Earlier this offseason, Tom Allen noted that Reed had “emerged” as the favorite to start at the Lion position this fall.

A strong fall camp could solidify Reed’s position at an extremely important position this fall for the Nittany Lions.

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Defensive end Jameial Lyons

Penn State Football, Jameial Lyons — Oct 14, 2023; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Jameial Lyons (19) pressures Massachusetts Minutemen quarterback Ahmad Haston (16) during the fourth quarter at Beaver Stadium. Penn State defeated Massachusetts 63-0. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports

Rising true sophomore Jameial Lyons showed flashes of superstar potential last season during limited action in his true freshman season.

Lyons played only eight games last fall after missing a few games with injury, and only racked up 2.5 tackles for a loss and one sack on the season. However, the buzz surrounding the potential of the former number 125 overall prospect in the 2023 class. With Zuriah Fisher’s injury holding him out this fall, Lyons has a major opportunity to establish himself as the number three defensive end on Penn State’s roster.

If Lyons is able to establish himself and beat out super seniors Smith Vilbert and Amin Vanover, Lyons could follow the path of Chop Robinson and Dani Dennis-Sutton before him operating as the third defensive end with plenty of playing time before stepping into the starting lineup the next season.

Linebacker Tony Rojas

Penn State Football, Tony Rojas — Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Tony Rojas (Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports)

Linebacker Tony Rojas impressed as a true freshman in 2023 for the Nittany Lions, racking up 22 tackles, 3.5 sacks, one interception, and one forced fumble.

Now, with Abdul Carter transitioning to defensive end, Rojas has a major opportunity to not only start at linebacker for the Nittany Lions, but become a star for the center of the Penn State defense.

With Tom Allen’s defense expected to heavily use the Lion position nickel defensive back package, Rojas and senior Kobe King will be expected to handle a lot at the linebacker position this fall. With a strong camp, Rojas could bring plenty of confidence from both Tom Allen and Penn State fans with him into the starting role this fall.

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Cornerback AJ Harris

Penn State Football, Trey Wallace, Harrison Wallace III — Apr 13, 2024; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Harrison Wallace III (6) avoids a tackle while running with the ball during the second quarter of the Blue White spring game at Beaver Stadium. The White team defeated the Blue team 27-0. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-USA TODAY Sports

Former five-star cornerback AJ Harris played a more limited role than expected in his true freshman season at Georgia before transferring to Penn State Football this offseason.

However, the situation could not be better for Harris in State College, as Penn State’s top three cornerbacks from 2023 departed for the NFL this offseason, leaving the depth chart wide open for competition this fall.

From his recruitment, it is clear that Harris has a very high ceiling and skills that could make him a very good cornerback in the Big Ten. If he is able to put it all on display during fall camp, Harris could cement himself into a starting position for the next few years on the Nittany Lions defense.

Penn State Football’s defense is undergoing a retool this offseason after losing so many players to the NFL draft. However, there is plenty of defensive talent remaining on the roster, which should make for a very competitive fall camp. Make sure to follow Nittany Central for updates throughout camp and this fall as these battles unfold.