Why several Penn State linebackers can live up to ‘LBU’ in the 2023 season

We’ve already broken down the entire offense and the trenches on the defense, and now it’s time to move to the second level on that side of the field. There’s a reason Penn State is known as “Linebacker U” and this year’s iteration of the team should do well in carrying on the legacy.

Let’s take a look at Penn State’s linebackers and how they stack up heading into the 2023 season.

Projected starters: Junior Curtis Jacobs, sophomore Abdul Carter and junior Tyler Elsdon

This is a starting trio but in some of the most important situations in games, it will likely be a duo. Penn State tends to go to a five defensive back look quite a bit, and in those situations a linebacker comes off the field. Because of that, we’ll lead off with the two players best suited to be on the field in all situations.

That starts with Jacobs, who may not be the team’s best linebacker, but he is its best combination of talent and experience at this point.

He’s started 23 games over the last two seasons and has proven to be a playmaker from the second level of the field. He excels as a blitzer, using his athleticism to slip into gaps and get to the quarterback. He can even use that speed to operate as an extra edge rusher when necessary. He’s a missile when he finds the ball, tracking opposing running backs well and getting to them before they can get downfield. Jacobs will need to improve in pass coverage, where he can overplay his hand at times, resulting in him making mistakes if the quarterback can manipulate him with their eyes. Still, he’s a high level starter who will be on the field in important situations this season.

The second of the two is Carter, who is a jacked up version of Jacobs, but with more instinctual play and even more upside. Jacobs is a great athlete, but Carter is an elite one, especially when you consider the former is 6-foot-1, 238 pounds and the latter is 6-foot-3, 250 pounds. Carter is explosive, finding himself around the ball on what feels like every play. He was at his best when he was turned loose in the direction of the quarterback as a freshman, making plays in the backfield early and often in his first year. He’ll need to continue growing as a player, especially to stay on the field with Jacobs in third down situations, but he has all the upside in the world and is wearing the No. 11 like greats Micah Parsons, LaVar Arrington and a host of others before him.

Elsdon might actually end up staying on the field in third down situations, but he’s more limited than the other two, making him a lower upside option. The inside linebacker is sound in his play, reading his keys and putting himself in the right place at the right time while showing the ability to wrap up and tackle, making the plays that are in front of him. However, he isn’t nearly the athlete the other two are and isn’t as valuable as a pass rusher in blitzing situations. Elsdon is a sound middle linebacker who makes the right plays, but is limited athletically, restricting the versatility of the defense as a whole.

Key backups: Redshirt sophomore Kobe King, redshirt sophomore Dominic DeLuca and freshman Tony Rojas

Penn State has an elite defense with great depth in a lot of places, but linebacker isn’t necessarily one of them. That’s not to say it can’t be, but going into the year there will need to be drastic improvements in order for the second group to get near the first one when it comes to on the field impact.

King is the second teamer that gives the most confidence right now because he’s a reasonable option to start instead of Elsdon if that were necessary. He’s a sure tackler who puts himself in the right positions and can be particularly impactful in the running game. He was a better athlete than I anticipated last season, but he still lacks the ideal attributes to cover running backs and tight ends out of the backfield when necessary. King is a quality inside linebacker but isn’t a candidate to play on the outside because of that.

DeLuca is a walk-on turned scholarship player who initially made his mark on special teams. Like King, he’s best when he’s not asked to rely on his athleticism to make plays. He’s a hard-nosed, high-effort player who has good enough instincts to see the field despite less than ideal speed and foot quickness. DeLuca is a rotational linebacker but is susceptible to being overtaken by the players behind him because of his low ceiling.

Rojas is the most interesting of this group. He came to Penn State this offseason with limited experience at the position but could quickly find his way onto the field. His instincts stand out on his high school film and he’s a high level athlete who could follow in the footsteps of Carter as the next great linebacker of the school. Yes, those are high expectations to heap on a player who hasn’t played a college snap, but Rojas should excel in coverage, as a pass rusher and against the run when he hits his ceiling. He’s the type of all-around player that can help a defense adapt to any situation and could show flashes of that this season.

Freshman to watch: freshman Ta’Mere Robinson

Technically Rojas could fit here too, but we’ll go with Robinson because his upside is equally as intriguing. The Pittsburgh native is a very good athlete who looks like a defensive end at linebacker. He’s listed at 6-foot-3, 231 pounds with room to add even more weight as he continues working in Penn State’s strength and conditioning program. He moves well and is good enough as a pass rusher that he could reasonably play defensive end down the road. In fact, that’s a distinct possibility if he adds enough weight to play there. For the time being, he projects as a three down linebacker who can be a standout on the outside because of his versatility.