Penn State Football: Top-5 Returning Stars Who Could Deliver Nittany Lions a National Championship
Penn State Football is following a well-worn blueprint of the most recent national champions.
Returning a loaded lineup of playmakers on both sides of the football, and an experienced quarterback with three games of Playoff experience already under his belt, the Nittany Lions are generating significant buzz in the No. 1 spot on preseason top-25 lists, from Joel Klatt to ESPN to others across the industry.
Much of the optimism surrounding head coach James Franklin‘s program entering 2025 isn’t just that Penn State is running it back with championship aspirations, but that the last two champions; The Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines each barnstormed to a national championship by returning a loaded and experienced roster.
Here’s a breakdown of the players who could power Penn State’s title charge.
Penn State Football’s Five Most Important Returning Stars
Dani-Dennis Sutton, EDGE
With Abdul Carter off to the NFL and the New York Giants, Dennis-Sutton now leads the Penn State defensive front. With 8.5 sacks in 2024, Dennis-Sutton looks to return and cause even MORE damage.
Zakee Wheatley, Safety
Wheatley has turned into a steady, vigilant defender in the back of the Lions’ defense.
With 57 solo tackles, 4 passes deflected & 3 INTs, Wheatley has matured into a beast. Cornerbacks may or may not get burned.
It’s Wheatley‘s job to be the fail-safe. Offenses need to know that they will pay for taking shits his way. In order to keep opposing QBs honest, they need to be fearful of what Wheatley may do.
Drew Allar, QB
There’s only one question remaining for Drew Allar to answer: Can he show up big in big moments?
The senior signal caller is primed for an unbelievable season. Best backfield in the nation. Top wide receiver weapons. Elite veteran offensive line. And a second year with OC Andy Kotelnicki.
All of these pieces are in place to set Allar up for success.
If Allar continues to improve and mature, that’ll be the main key to leading Penn State to a national championship.
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Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen, Running Backs
Speaking of the nation’s most dynamic backfield … They’re back for another round.
The one-two punch of Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen provides Kotelnicki with a ton of options and help his quarterback.
With both backs eclipsing 1,000 yards last year and a veteran offensive line, the PSU backfield will be instrumental in getting the Nittany Lions into a national championship game.
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He has been recognized for his work as a photographer and has also contributed to various publications including PennLive and The Weather Channel.
Brad is an Air Force veteran, coach and competitive runner that grew up a Nittany Lions fan as his family is originally from the State College area.
His diverse skillset and experiences provide for interesting perspectives on the college football, and sports topics of the day.