Penn State spring football: Linebacker preview

There is potential that this will be one of the most exciting linebacker groups that Penn State has had in a while.

The group is headlined by true sophomore Abdul Carter who really opened eyes last season. Coming in wearing the coveted number 11 jersey as a true freshman meant the spotlight would be on him all year. He more than delivered and has a promising collegiate career in front of him.

Another interesting nugget is there are no seniors in the linebacking corps for 2023-24. The most experienced players are two redshirt juniors. This is a good sign for the future as this group will be able to continue playing with each other for multiple years going forward.

There will be depth chart battles this spring to keep an eye on. The main one to watch is between Kobe King and Tyler Elsdon for the starting middle linebacker position. Elsdon won the battle last spring and summer, but the snap counts last season were pretty similar.

Abdul Carter

Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Measurables: 6’3″ / 233 lbs.

Year: Sophomore

Expected Role: Starting Weakside Linebacker

There is a real buzz around Abdul Carter about what he can do this season. Coming into Penn State, Carter was a four-star recruit in the 2022 class. He was excellent in his freshman season recording 56 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. His PFF grade was 76.2 ranking him 122nd out of 789 linebackers last season.

With another offseason in the college weight room and more time to get familiar with the defensive scheme, the sky is the limit for Carter. He could be the highlight of what’s expected to be a very good defense.

NEXT: Kobe King a rising redshirt sophomore

Kobe King

Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Measurables: 6’1″ / 247 lbs.

Year: Redshirt Sophomore

Expected Role: Starting Middle Linebacker

After redshirting in the 2021-22 season, Kobe King was in a battle for the starting middle linebacker position last spring and summer. He ultimately didn’t win that battle, but still played in 13 games last season. With about 100 fewer snaps than the starter, King recorded 41 total tackles and four tackles for a loss. He also returned a fumble for a touchdown against Rutgers.

King is expected to get the starting nod this time around. According to PFF’s grades, he graded out much better overall and in both run and pass defense than starter Tyler Elsdon. The middle linebacker role will probably have split snaps again like last season, but expect King to be named the starter this go around.

NEXT: The veteran Curtis Jacobs

Curtis Jacobs

John Reed-USA TODAY Sports

Measurables: 6’1″ / 227 lbs.

Year: Redshirt Junior

Expected Role: Starting Strongside Linebacker

Curtis Jacobs made a big leap last season. He was the best coverage linebacker for Penn State and also tallied 52 total tackles, 7.5 for loss and recorded four sacks. He increased his PFF grade from the previous year by roughly four grading points. His 73.5 coverage grade ranked 145th our 747 linebackers.

Jacobs will play a big role opposite of Carter. Opposing offense might run their plays away from Carter which would funnel right to Jacobs. In order for Penn State to have a great defense, they’ll need both of their bookend linebackers to be dominant.

NEXT: The backup options

Tyler Elsdon

Nov 5, 2022; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Tyler Elsdon (43) and Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Nick Tarburton (46) combine to tackle Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Jack Tuttle (14) during the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

Measurables: 6’2″ / 236 lbs.

Year: Redshirt Junior

Expected Role: Backup Middle Linebacker

The middle linebacker is the biggest position battle taking place over the spring and summer. This is really the only linebacking starting position up for grabs. Tyle Elsdon was involved in a battle with Kobe King last offseason and won the battle. He recorded 44 tackles and 3.5 for loss with one sack.

It wasn’t quite the production that the Penn State program and fans have become accustomed to from their middle linebacker. As highlighted in the Kobe King section, Elsdon was outplayed by his backup according to PFF. Elsdon’s overall grade was 50.3 compared to King’s 55.9. He also ranked 740th out of 787 linebackers with a 46.9 run defense grade.

This isn’t to completely dismiss Elsdon. There is certainly a role for him on the defense and he will be splitting time with King. This is just to highlight what coaches are evaluating for their defense during this offseason. And who knows, maybe Elsdon has a great spring and summer to win the starting job again, but right now he’s projected as the backup.

Dominic DeLuca

Measurables: 6’1″ / 209 lbs.

Year: Redshirt Sophomore

Expected Role: Backup Strongside Linebacker

Dominic Deluca is one of the best stories in the Penn State program right now. He was a walk-on player in the 2020 class and came in as a 190 pound safety. He was moved to linebacker and was redshirted his freshman season not playing a single snap. Last year, he was in a backup and special teams role. He finished with 29 total tackles, two for a loss, one sack and a blocked kick.

While he didn’t have a lot of overall snaps last year, he graded out very well according to PFF. It will be very interesting to see how DeLuca progresses in the offseason. He’s currently a little undersized for Big Ten linebacker, but showed that he can make an impact. He’s going to be in a battle for the backup role with redshirt junior Tyrece Mills who is coming back from injury.

But the best news for DeLuca during the offseason came when coach James Franklin gave him a scholarship!

Keon Wylie

Measurables: 6’2″ / 206 lbs.

Year: Redshirt Freshman

Expected Role: Backup Weakside Linebacker

Keon Wylie was a three-star recruit in the class of 2022 according to the 247Sports database. He played in only four games last season to preserve his redshirt status. Due to that, his stat line was small, recording two total tackles and a half sack. Wylie is expected to come into the season weighing 220 pounds.

It will be interesting to see how Wylie is used next season. He’s expected to be the primary backup to Carter at the will linebacker position, so he will be on the field at times. Because he got so little time on the field last season, he might be coming into the season as the biggest unknown at the position. He was offered by multiple Power 5 conferences around the country so he’s expected to have big upside.

Story originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire