Penn State’s roster for the 2022 season has a good mix of returning veterans and experience and fresh new faces expected to jump in and contribute this fall. Nittany Lions Wire will be taking a look at 25 of the most important players on the roster for the 2022 season all throughout the month of July by profiling one player each day.
One of the biggest questions for the Penn State defense this season comes at the school’s signature position of linebacker. After losing a pair of starters to the NFL, Curtis Jacobs looks to be the provider of stability for a unit in some transition this fall. After getting a good amount of starting experience last season, Jacobs appears ready to be an anchor for the defense and prove he is ready to be a defensive leader that will give opposing offenses nightmares.
2021 in Review
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Alongside a pair of veteran linebackers, Curtis Jacobs emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the Penn State defense. In what has been classified as his freshman season by Penn State, Jacobs started in 11 of Penn State’s 13 games played in 2021, in which he recorded 61 tackles and seven tackles for a loss with three sacks and an interception.
Jacobs proved to be a consistent contributor throughout the season with Brandon Smith and Ellis Brooks leading the way at the linebacker position last fall. But with the two veterans opting out of the Outback Bowl to begin preparing for their respective NFL futures, Jacobs was called on to step up his game in the bowl season as the defense looked to replace a number of key contributors. Jacobs did his part by recording a career-high 10 tackles against Arkansas, including eight solo tackles and a sack. Penn State may have lost the game but Jacobs was a bright spot providing some positivity for the defense going into the offseason and preparing for 2022.
Biggest question for 2022
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