Awards: Postseason: Became Penn State’s 15th Unanimous Consensus All-American, first since Saquon Barkley in 2017, and 45th Consensus All-American…Selected the Nagurski-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and the Smith-Brown Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year…Named a first-team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, AFCA, Associated Press, FWAA and The Sporting News…Voted All-Big Ten first team by the coaches and media. Midseason: Tabbed a Bednarik Award, Nagurski Trophy and Lombardi Award finalist…Named a semifinalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year and the Lott IMPACT Trophy. Weekly: Earned Bednarik Award Player of the Week and Walter Camp Defensive Player of the Week honors (Washington – 11/9)…Named the Bednarik Award and Nagurski Trophy Defensive Player of the Week (Illinois – 9/28)…Earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors (Illinois – 9/28). Preseason: Named to the Bednarik Award, Butkus Award, Lombardi Award, Lott IMPACT Trophy, Nagurski Trophy, Reese’s Senior Bowl, Ted Hendricks Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year Award watch lists.
Season: Started all 16 games and finished with 68 tackles (43 solo), 23.5 tackles for loss, 12.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and four pass breakups…Posted seven games with 2+ tackles for loss…Named the coaching staff’s Defensive Player of the Game four times (Kent State – 9/21; Illinois – 9/28; Washington – 11/9; Maryland – 11/30).
Rankings: Led the nation with 23.5 tackles for loss…Finished second in the Big Ten, fourth in the Power Four and seventh overall nationally in sacks (12.0).
at West Virginia (8/31): Made a solo tackle. Bowling Green (9/7): Posted seven tackles (5 solo) with one tackle for loss and a pass breakup…The pass breakup came on a batted down pass on fourth down in the second quarter. Kent State (9/21): Notched a solo sack in the second quarter…Added a half-tackle for loss later in the quarter. Illinois (9/28): Finished the game with a career-high four tackles for loss…Added two sacks and a forced a fumble on a sack late in the fourth quarter, which was recovered by Smith Vilbert…Also had a pass breakup. UCLA (10/5): Made three stops, including 1.5 tackles for loss. at USC (10/12): Recorded a solo sack and added a half-tackle for loss in the third quarter…Finished with five tackles, a quarterback hurry and a pass breakup. at Wisconsin (10/26): Collected three tackles, including two solo. Ohio State (10/2):…
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