There was an unexpected name that joined the list of the Penn State summer additions who were announced on Tuesday. Daniel Jennings, a four-star defensive end recruit who was set to enter his senior year of high school, has officially reclassified and signed with the Nittany Lions, adding depth to a defensive line that looks much different from a season ago.
Jennings was one of the top prospects of a 2026 Penn State class currently ranked among the nation’s best by a handful of recruiting sites. At 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds, Jennings has an adequate frame to immediately compete against Big Ten offensive linemen. And with defensive end depth thin after a hectic transfer portal cycle, he could be asked to play sooner rather than later.
This isn’t a novel experiment by James Franklin. In fact, it’s the second consecutive year he’s called up a defensive end from a future recruiting class. Last offseason, it was Max Granville, who ultimately appeared in seven games and now projects to become one of Penn State’s top edge rushers in 2025, what was originally supposed to be his freshman year.
Dani Dennis-Sutton remains the leading actor in a defensive end room that lost All-American Abdul Carter to the NFL. Carter was selected with the No. 3 overall pick by the New York Giants, turning the page on a renowned college career that set a high bar for those in his stead.
Dennis-Sutton has the potential to become a first-round draft pick, as well. But who will step up alongside him remains a bit questionable. Amin Vanover, who likely would’ve started this fall, had his waiver for a sixth year of eligibility denied by the NCAA. And Smith Vilbert, another potential starter, opted to transfer and play his seventh year of eligibility at North Carolina.
The departures of Vanover and Vilbert have created a competition between two others for the vacant starting role, as well as a whole lot of uncertainty regarding overall depth. Granville is in the mix for a starting spot, as is Zuriah Fisher, a more-experienced option who missed last season’s entirety with an injury.
It’s not that the room itself isn’t full; there are now 11 scholarship defensive ends on roster. There is, however, a lack of certainty surrounding who is ready to perform constantly and handle a significant bulk of playing time. Jennings joins this crew, filled with a handful of high-upside and widely inexperienced pieces, some of whom will be asked to step up quickly.
Enai White is an intriguing option. He’s set to enter his fourth season of college football, but injuries limited him over his three years at Texas A&M. He transferred to the Nittany Lions this offseason with a golden opportunity. If he can stay healthy, White could become one of Penn State’s first defensive ends off the sidelines.
Mason Robinson, Jordan Mayer, Jaylen Harvey and Mylachi Williams are other names with at least a season under their belts to know. But it’s Penn State’s wide collection of freshmen defensive ends, five in total, that draw the most anticipation. Jennings is just another face in this wide array of youthful edge rushers with the potential to play early into the 2025 season.
Yvan Kemajou was called a “monster” by strength and conditioning coach Chuck Losey in the winter. Dayshaun Burnett has also been with the program since January. This summer will bring two others, alongside Jennings, in Chaz Coleman and Cortez Harris.
Franklin and defensive line coach Deion Barnes should have their hands full when ultimately piecing together their depth chart, more so on the back end of things. Jennings should only help raise the level of competition in the room and provide some much-needed personal experience for the remainder of his college career.
The experiment worked once with Granville, so why not try it again?
