Penn State defensive tackle PJ Mustipher has been named to the 2022 Outland Trophy watch list by the Football Writers Association of America Tuesday morning.

The Outland Trophy is presented to college football’s top interior lineman each year.

Mustipher is coming a season that was cut short when he suffered an undisclosed injury in Penn State’s 23-20 loss to No. 3 Iowa. Before that, the senior was a force on Penn State’s defensive line and in the middle of a career-best season, racking up 21 total tackles, three tackles for loss, and a sack in just five games played.

The Owings Mills, Maryland native is one of 89 players named to the list, joining ten of his Big Ten counterparts. Michigan State’s Jacob Slade and Wisconsin’s Keeanu Benton are the two other defensive tackles representing the Big Ten with Mustipher.

The incoming fifth-year announced his intention to return to Penn State for another season back in January. As a returning captain, Mustipher is poised to provide a big boost for Penn State’s defensive front which already lost a handful of starters to the 2022 NFL Draft.