Dani Dennis-Sutton is heading to the 2026 NFL Draft after four successful seasons in Happy Valley. Though he was often overshadowed by the likes of Abdul Carter and Chop Robinson over the course of his Penn State career, the Millsboro, Delaware, native grew to make more than a name for himself as one of college football’s elite edge rushers.

Dennis-Sutton carried five-star status and was the No. 7-ranked defensive lineman in the 2022 class, per 247Sports’ Composite rankings. Despite receiving offers from powerhouses Georgia and Alabama, Dennis-Sutton committed to Penn State, joining one of the university’s highest-rated recruiting classes in history. Though Penn State struggled in 2025, Dennis-Sutton caught fire in the latter half of his senior season to solidify his Nittany Lion legacy.

“Has great body control, quick feet, and can change direction well. Strong technique with ability to vary moves. Shows strength to press off offensive lineman, disengage, and locate ball carrier,” national recruiting analyst Brian Dohn said of the young edge in 2022. “Closing speed is impressive. Ability to stack and shed is impressive. Works through double teams. Can get down the line of scrimmage and keep runner from getting around edge.”

During Dennis-Sutton’s freshman campaign, he recorded 17 total tackles, 11 solo, and three sacks. From there, his production skyrocketed. His breakout season came in 2024, in the midst of Penn State’s push toward the program’s first-ever College Football Playoff Semifinal berth. 

Over the course of that junior season, Dennis-Sutton notched 42 total tackles, including 24 solo, 8.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one recovery, and one interception. The most memorable part of his season came in the team’s Orange Bowl loss to Notre Dame, when he picked off Fighting Irish signal caller Riley Leonard in the fourth quarter. 

In Dennis-Sutton’s final season in the basic blues, he would aim to become the team’s premier defensive end in the wake of Carter’s turn to professional football. 

While he got off to a slow start, preventing his stats from skyrocketing like some figured they might, he quietly matched his totals from 2024 courtesy of a strong second half. From the Indiana game onward, Dennis-Sutton recorded a total of 6.5 sacks in the final five games of the season. He recorded just one in the eight matchups prior.

If there’s one thing that NFL teams shouldn’t question about Dennis-Sutton, it’s his character, and more specifically, his loyalty.

Penn State had 34 players who didn’t suit up in the Pinstripe Bowl against Clemson, the majority of whom were due to opt-outs. Dennis-Sutton could have easily done the same, but elected to play in support of his head coach, Terry Smith, and the Nittany Lion logo. He tallied four total tackles and two sacks in the game, including one to ice it as the clock neared zero. 

He further boosted his draft stock after a strong performance in this year’s NFL Combine. His broad jump of 10’11” was the best in his position group in 2026, and fifth best all time for a defensive end at the event. He was also top of his class in three-cone, recording a time of 6.90 seconds in the drill. His athleticism score of 91 ranked No. 1 overall for edge rushers, and his total score of 79 placed him in fourth.

“Dennis-Sutton is a base defensive end with toughness. He’s effective against the run, but he has limited pass-rushing upside. His predictable, linear rush lacks the burst and bend to beat tackles to the top of the rush and flatten into the pocket. He uses hand violence and brute force to challenge tackles with weak anchors,” NFL analyst Lance Zierlein said. “​​He’ll get bounced around because his pad level is too high, but he’s tough to finish and finds his way to the action when it’s near him.”

Zierlein projects Dennis-Sutton to be drafted in the third round of this year’s NFL Draft and makes a comparison to current New York Jets defensive end Kingsley Enagbare. 

Luke Easterling of Yahoo Sports also sees Dennis-Sutton as a day-two “lock,” citing his athleticism and stature as effective tools to control the perimeter, make plays, and force turnovers.

“He uses his size and length effectively as a power rusher off the edge, jarring opposing blockers with violent hands and driving them back to shrink the pocket and impact the quarterback,” Easterling says. “Dennis-Sutton is a smart run defender who uses his frame and wingspan to set a consistent edge.”

Both analysts view his lack of explosiveness as a weakness, as well as his struggles with effective counters. While opinions on his upside are mixed, experts agree that a strong run defense provides a relatively high floor. 

As Dennis-Sutton prepares to take the next step in his football career, he leaves behind a college career that featured third-team All-Big Ten honors and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week recognition. He is tied for fifth on Penn State’s forced fumble list with seven, and holds sixth place in career sacks with 23.5.

He currently sits No. 70 overall on the NFL Mock Draft Database consensus big board, with his skillset aligning well with the needs of the Philadelphia Eagles, a team in need of a high-end edge rusher.

If Dennis-Sutton is indeed selected by the Birds, he would join fellow Penn Staters Saquon Barkley, Arnold Ebiketie, and Tariq Castro-Fields in the City of Brotherly Love.

Dennis-Sutton and the rest of his eligible Penn State teammates will hope to see their dreams come to fruition next week and hear their names called at the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The draft is set to run from April 23 to 25. Folks can follow along on ESPN, ABC, NFL Network, and ESPN Deportes.