Penn State 2023 early look: Analyzing the Lions’ defensive tackle picture without PJ Mustipher

Penn State’s 2023 defense is going to look a lot different without No. 97 in the middle of the line. PJ Mustipher is headed to the NFL after spending five productive years in State College. The Nittany Lions will miss the veteran defensive tackle.

PSU returns several players who are capable of starting. But can anyone do what Mustipher did in 2021 and 2022?

PennLive’s early look series moves onto the 2023 defensive tackle depth chart.

Top returnees: Hakeem Beamon, Dvon Ellies, Coziah Izzard, Zane Durant

Beamon, entering his fifth season, took a big step forward last season, starting 12 games and racking up six tackles for loss, four pass breakups and two quarterback hurries. A healthy Beamon should occupy one of the starting spots.

Ellies has appeared in all 26 of Penn State’s games the last two seasons, making a pair of starts.

Izzard made seven starts in 2021 and he was productive in a reserve role last season, finishing with four tackles for loss, two of them sacks.

Durant, a second-year sophomore, is just getting started.

Jordan van den Berg and Kaleb Artis will also compete for time in the Lions’ rotation.

Moving on: PJ Mustipher

Mustipher, a two-time team captain, was also a two-time second-team All-Big Ten choice who made 29 career starts at tackle. Mustipher was a special player because of his size, strength and experience, especially against the run.

Player to watch: Durant

Durant appeared in all 13 of Penn State’s games as a true freshman and the 6-foot-1, 276-pounder was credited with five tackles, one of them a sack. It’s rare to see a true freshman tackle play in a major college program’s rotation. Durant made a positive impression on the Lions’ coaches and players shortly after enrolling in January of 2022. He should see significantly more playing time.

2023 signees: Tyriq Blanding

A three-star signee from New York state, Blanding is another young Lion set to begin practicing in August. James Franklin believes Blanding has a chance to be a special player.

“The guy that nobody’s talking about, and I watch his tape, I think he’s really good, is Ty Blanding,” Franklin said.

“Watch the guy play linebacker, he is twitchy, quick. You watch him play defensive end, he’s twitchy and quick. Watch him play at defensive tackle and he’s making plays and he’s explosive. I think sometimes New York is under-recruited. People view it as a basketball state, but there’s been a bunch of really good players come out of that state.”