From Dani Dennis-Sutton and Abdul Carter in the past two seasons to Chop Robinson, Adisa Isaac, and Arnold Ebiketie in the early 2020s, Penn State football fans have become used to always having a strong No. 1 edge rusher entering the season.

This year, however, the room is a little more open.

The Nittany Lions’ edge-rushers coach Christian Smith and new head coach Matt Campbell have plenty of talent to choose from; it’s just about finding the right combination of players.

Penn State does have the advantage of a much heavier inside defensive line unit in 2026, likely drawing extra attention from potentially doubling guards, so not having a true No. 1 could mean a ton of one-on-one reps on the outside this season.

Here’s what to know about the Penn State defensive tackle unit in 2026.

Projected Starters

By all accounts, it appears Iowa State transfer Ikenna Ezeogu is a locked-in starter for the Nittany Lions and could be in for a big season.

Ezeogu started 11 games for the Cyclones last season, recording 25 tackles, eight solo, three tackles for loss, one sack, one fumble recovery, and one pass breakup.

While he played mainly in a three-defensive-lineman set in Ames, Iowa, his 6’5″, 273-pound frame will be a nightmare for the Big Ten offensive lines this season.

The question is: Who will line up on the opposite side of Ezeogu?

Smith said during fall camp that he expects to see a rotation of four guys in the first few games while he and the rest of the staff lock in a depth chart.

One of those players will be Max Granville.

After a season-ending injury kept the third-year player from a potential breakout sophomore campaign, Granville has flashed this offseason again.

“I feel like my natural movement never really left me,” Granville said. “It was just getting strength back in my lower half, but doing certain moves in the summer, I’m like, ‘Yeah, I still got it, so I’m good.’ And then just building trust, building speed back, it’s only grown and grown coming into camp.”

Granville played in seven games as a true freshman, tallying one tackle and one pass breakup.

Another name to keep an eye on is linebacker Caleb Bacon. Campbell said at Penn State’s local media day that the former Iowa State man will continue working with the defensive line because the Nittany Lions would be “missing the boat” if they didn’t.

“He’s a great edge player,” Campbell said. “He certainly has the ability to slide back and play Mike or Will linebacker. He’s great in coverage, a smart football player.”

Bacon was named All-Big 12 honorable mention last season after he collected 68 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, one forced fumble, and three pass breakups.

He missed most of the 2024 season with injury, but saw a lot of playing time on the line of scrimmage as a sophomore in 2023, recording 60 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, one forced fumble and two pass breakups in 13 games.

Sophomore holdover Yvan Kemajou is another name Nittany Lion fans can expect to see on the field after a promising true-freshman season.

Kemajou, who didn’t start playing football until recently, showed immense talent but also raw technique in a 2025 season where he posted 12 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and one pass breakup in 10 games.

Campbell said “his ability is as high as anybody we’ve coached,” but he’ll have to go prove that on Saturdays if he wants to increase his role from last season.

Supporting Cast

With so much competition for the top spots, the supporting cast won’t see as much time for the Nittany Lions this season.

One of the players who should see the field as a rotational piece, and maybe creep his way into the top four, however, is sophomore Colorado transfer Alexander McPherson.

McPherson put on 20 pounds this spring to get to 6’6″ and 254 pounds, after a promising freshman year in Boulder, Colorado, where he had 16 tackles and six quarterback hurries.

“I was impressed with what he did in the spring,” Smith said. “He doesn’t play like he’s just a sophomore in college, just with his knowledge of the game and the feel that he plays with, and he has an edge to him.”

While young, Jackson Ford will likely benefit from the new five-in-five rule and get added development reps in 2026 as well.

Ford became a fan favorite when he was one of the only players to sign with the Nittany Lions after James Franklin was fired and has garnered a ton of praise since arriving on campus.

“I have no doubt in my mind that Jackson, going forward, is going to be a really, really good football player at Penn State,” Smith said. “It’s just a race to maturity and figuring out when he’s ready to go.”

Development Pieces

Elijah Reeder, LaVar Arrington II, and Dayshaun Burnett are all names to keep an eye on for future Penn State seasons.

Reeder is a four-star freshman from New Jersey who has shown a ton of pass-rushing potential after starting his high school career as a tight end.

Though still on the leaner side at 210 pounds, a year of honing in pass-rush moves and Penn State’s weight program could make him a breakout candidate heading into the 2027 season.

Arrington could have a more immediate impact than Reeder, after playing seven games on special teams for the Nittany Lions a year ago. He still has four years of eligibility remaining, and the new staff believes he has an extremely high ceiling.

Burnett is another former four-star recruit, but is entering his second year of college football.