MOBILE, Ala. — The last time everyone saw Penn State defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton on a football field, he was terrorizing Clemson’s backfield in a Pinstripe Bowl win.
Well, technically it was a baseball field, but the point stands. Dennis-Sutton had an emphatic two-sack performance in his final game in a Nittany Lion uniform.
“It was just another opportunity to show that I’m the best player on the field,” Dennis-Sutton told PennLive. “That’s how I try to go into every game, and I did that at the Pinstripe Bowl. I think I did that throughout the whole season. And that’s my goal here at the Senior Bowl.”
Dennis-Sutton was always supremely confident in his abilities at Penn State, and that belief didn’t waver in Mobile, Ala.
Dennis-Sutton was looking to leave a lasting impression on NFL scouts and coaches at Hancock Whitney Stadium. And he was blunt when asked what he was trying to prove at the Senior Bowl and, more broadly, during the pre-draft process.
“That I can do everything on the field,” Dennis-Sutton said. “I’m a four-down player. I’m not just a run stopper. I’m not just a pass rusher. I’m also an all-star on special teams. I can do it all.”
Dennis-Sutton did quite a lot during his four years in Happy Valley. After arriving as a five-star prospect in Penn State’s 2022 recruiting class, Dennis-Sutton had 23 1/2 sacks, 34 1/2 tackles for loss, seven forced fumbles, eight pass breakups and two interceptions in 55 games.
In 2024 and 2025, Dennis-Sutton had 25 TFLs in 27 starts. He passed Abdul Carter for sixth on Penn State’s all-time sacks list during that Pinstripe Bowl win. He also blocked three punts in 2025, the most of any FBS player and tied for the most in a season for a Nittany Lion.
“The two things I base my game off of is effort and physicality. Those are two things that will never be in question. Those are two things that I can control,” Dennis-Sutton said. “Some guys like to just rush the passer. But I do it all. Some people think they’re above special teams. That’s not me. I’m here to play football. Whatever coaches need me to do, I’m going to do it.”
That mentality and production — and his power, speed, sturdiness and 6-foot-5 frame — have Dennis-Sutton positioned to hear his name called early in the 2026 NFL draft.
Dennis-Sutton is ranked as the No. 72 player and the No. 9 edge rusher in the draft, according to ESPN. It’s a loaded class of edge rushers this year with up to six going in the first round.
Dennis-Sutton might not get selected in the first 32 picks like some projected he might in the preseason. But there’s still time to move into that group.
Dennis-Sutton impressed at Senior Bowl practice Tuesday and Wednesday. He made the most of one-on-one reps against some of the best offensive linemen in the draft. In team periods, he showed strength in the run game and lived in the backfield as a pass rusher.
He had a scare Thursday, going down with what appeared to be a chest/ribs injury. But the Penn State standout returned to practice and later confirmed to PennLive that he was all right.
Dennis-Sutton will be at the NFL Scouting Combine next month, followed by Penn State’s pro day in March and a host of team visits before April’s draft.
We won’t know where Dennis-Sutton is headed next for a few months. But whichever team he lands with will know the type of player they’re getting in No. 33.
“At Penn State, we work for everything we get. We have a long tradition of D-linemen. And to get on the field and make plays, you’ve got to work for it. They’re not just going to give it to you like some other schools,” Dennis-Sutton said. “That’s what I learned at Penn State. You’ve got to work for your opportunity. And when you get it, take advantage of it. That’s what I think I did.”
