With the EA Sports College Football 25 video set to release this summer, there has been quite the buzz within the college football community about the game. Because of Penn State’s historically successful program, gamers can expect to have a talented roster to play with. Here at Onward State, we decided to predict the top 20 players’ overalls in the new game.

With three new coordinators and a young roster, fans should expect the team to struggle at points but develop well down the stretch.

We predicted the Nittany Lions will be an 84 overall team in the new game. Let’s break down the player’s predicted overalls.

Quarterbacks

Drew Allar: 83 Overall

In Drew Allar’s first year as a starter, he showed flashes of being a great quarterback but played very timidly. He often would miss deep throws or show hesitant decision making, which led to the offense stalling out. Andy Kotelnicki has a raw, talented quarterback on his hands who needs to play with more confidence to be great. If Allar is able to play with more poise and less hesitation, he could become the quarterback Penn State football has been waiting for.

Beau Pribula: 77 Overall

Beau Pribula is a dual-threat quarterback that can throw the ball well and scramble in the open field. He’s often used to run the quarterback draw but has made select throws when asked. It’s difficult to gauge Pribula’s skillsets due to limited reps, but he is very agile and fast. His style of play is similar to former Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley, and he should develop well under Kotelnicki and his dynamic offense if he can put all of the pieces together.

Wide Receivers

Julian Fleming: 82 Overall

Julian Fleming has great hands, route running, and strength for his size. He has had trouble staying healthy at the beginning of his collegiate career, and Fleming’s skill set has yet to transfer to the football field like many high school recruiters pictured. He has struggled to live up to the hype he received as the No. 1-rated receiver coming out of high school. If Fleming can stay healthy, he will have the opportunity to redeem himself and his career this season.

Trey Wallace: 80 Overall

Trey Wallace is a veteran receiver with average route running skills but also has decent hands and speed. He has struggled with injuries throughout his career at Penn State, and the wide receiver room has been underwhelming in production in recent years. Kotelnicki’s new offense could help the wide receiver room produce more, including Wallace.

Liam Clifford: 77 Overall

Liam Clifford is a great route runner with a big frame and good hands. He is not someone that goes up and over a corner for a catch but can catch the ball in traffic. He often finds the soft spots in zone coverages, and in his two years, Clifford has become better each year. As a redshirt, he should continue his growth as a solid wide receiver. His overall could end up surpassing 80 by the end of the season if he continues to produce at a higher level each season.

Tight End

Tyler Warren: 89 Overall

Last season, Tyler Warren outproduced every wide receiver currently on the roster. He is a physically dominant player who uses his body to catch the ball effectively. He has great awareness and strength, which allow him to be effective in the ground game as a blocking tight end. Warren is also dynamic and agile for his physical stature, so if Warren can keep producing at such a high level as a blocker and receiver, he would compile great NFL Draft stock.

Running Backs

Nick Singleton: 90 Overall

Nick Singleton is the smaller, more agile back out of the two-headed monster Penn State boasts. He has grown as a receiving back in his college career due to his ability to make cuts and turn on a dime. While being a great receiving back, Singleton needs to polish his run game. Even though he has breakaway speed and acceleration, he often hesitates to find the gap in the offensive line, whether that’s due to his indecisiveness or offensive line struggles. If Singleton can run with confidence, he is going to have a bounce back year.

Kaytron Allen: 91 Overall

Kaytron Allen is the power back out of the two-headed monster Penn State has at running back. While slower and less agile than Singleton, Allen runs with authority. He is incredibly strong and constantly runs right through tackles. Allen will continue to be a dominant force at running back with a new offensive coordinator.

Offensive Line

Drew Shelton: 79 Overall

Drew Shelton brings a veteran status onto the offensive line going into the 2024 season. He is a physical blocker with a bit of a smaller frame, and when filling in for Olu Fashanu last season, he filled the role well considering it was his first season getting reps. As Shelton grows and develops, he should gain more attention from the NFL.

Sal Wormley: 81 Overall

Sal Wormley has a smaller frame but provides good length as an interior offensive lineman. Even though he has quick feet, he struggles to hold blocks for an extended period. Wormley has grown and has been able to create blocks at the next level, and he can improve as a pass blocker to polish off his skillset. His shorter height has been a limiting factor against dominant pass rushers.

Linebackers

Dom DeLuca: 82

Dom DeLuca is a young stud on the defense. He covers the middle of the field well and is becoming effective in stopping the run. DeLuca is a former walk-on who has shown his physicality through his playstyle, and defensive coordinator Tom Allen has a young star on his hands. DeLuca should continue to grow as a player at Linebacker U.

Tony Rojas: 81 Overall

Tony Rojas is a promising young athlete who is fast and agile. He can drop into pass coverage or chase down a running back. Rojas also boasts great acceleration which allows him to shoot the gaps and stop the run. He plays beyond his size, which will allow him to put on more weight without losing his quickness as he develops. Due to his pure athleticism, he should develop well under the wing of Allen.

Defensive Line

Abdul Carter: 94 Overall

The X factor on this roster, Abdul Carter, brings energy and life to the Penn State defense. Carter is quick, agile, and has strength beyond his size. He was able to stop the run and cover as a linebacker, and his offseason position change from linebacker to defensive end changed the course of his development to match that of former Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons. Carter should be effective in getting to the quarterback using his dynamic speed and strength and is also viewed as a potential first-round draft pick. 

Dani Dennis-Sutton: 86 Overall

Dani Dennis-Sutton is a physical presence on the interior defensive line. For his size, he is quick and is a speed rusher who consistently makes intelligent plays. He is a quarterback nightmare and can often apply pressure even when double-teamed. Dennis-Sutton can shed, swim, and club opposing blockers to get to the quarterback. He also has the ability to disengage from blocks in order to tackle the runner. Dennis-Sutton will perform well this season and build himself promising NFL Draft stock.

Dvon Ellies: 83 Overall

Dvon Ellies is another strong force on the defensive line. He excels at shooting the gaps and can put pressure on the quarterback. Ellies is good with his hands to gain leverage and can pursue the ball carrier and disengage with blockers. His height is on the shorter side, which leads to being taken out of the play at certain points, but it is uncommon. Ellies contributes to a strong, veteran defensive line.

Kobe King: 82 Overall

Kobe King brings size to the linebacker core. He is very athletic and possesses speed and quickness to stop the run. King can shoot the gap and meet the runner at the line of scrimmage. His swiftness allows him to drop into pass coverage, and while he isn’t the greatest in coverage, he can still get the job done. King has room to develop, but as a sophomore, he has the time to perfect his style of play.

Jaylen Reed: 85 Overall

Jaylen Reed is poised and possesses an elite ability to stop the run. His quick decision-making combined with his speediness allows him to crash the box and stuff the run. Even though he is considered undersized, his speed and decision-making help put him in positions to succeed. Reed is effective in man-to-man coverage but often jumps routes in zone coverage which creates a liability in coverage. Even though he could improve his coverage skills, he brings a physical presence to the secondary.

KJ Winston: 84 Overall

KJ Winston is aggressive as a downhill player. He is effective in the box and can stop the run. Winston plays with a lot of physicality as he can deliver big hits to ball carriers. He covers man well when placed in the slot and possesses speed that allows him to cover receivers outside the numbers. He needs to improve on his change of direction to improve inside the box and his coverage skills.

Cam Miller: 80 Overall

Cam Miller is fast and has a good frame but needs to improve technically to succeed more at the collegiate level. He is good at using his body to create better advantages while in coverage and plays aggressively in pursuit, but his smaller size creates trouble with finishing tackles. Miller can put on more mass as he develops technically which will help him play better, and his athleticism will allow him to be versatile in coverage whether that is at the safety position or the corner.

Special Teams

Riley Thompson: 65 Overall

Even though his rating is low, Riley Thompson excels as a punter. He has a strong leg and can place the ball inside the 20-yard line or even the 10-yard line effectively. Thompson often can pin opposing offenses in situations where they are uncomfortable. The defense is put into a position to succeed when Thompson punts the ball.