Three Defensive Newcomers to Watch this Fall for Penn State Football

Who are three newcomers to watch on the Penn State football defense in 2017?

As the 2017 season nears, the hype is building around the Penn State football team. The Nittany Lions enter the season as one of the six or seven favorites to earn a berth in the College Football Playoff in 2017.

In order to reach the CFP in 2017 the Nittany Lions must have a strong defense. Penn State’s offense will be one of the best in the FBS in 2017, but the defense still has some question marks.

If the defense is going to accomplish what it must in 2017 to reach the goal that the Penn State Football team has set, they need to see young players step up. There is a trio of players very capable of doing that for the Nittany Lions in 2017. The first of these players will earn reps in the secondary this fall.

Cornerback Lamont Wade

With John Reid out for the 2017 season with a knee injury, Penn State needs players to step up at cornerback. True freshman Lamont Wade appears to be stepping up, grabbing the bull by the horns, and running with it.

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The highest rated member of Penn State’s 2017 recruiting class was a January enrollee. This allowed Wade to participate in spring ball where he was extremely impressive and turned a lot of heads. In camp, he has picked up right where he left off at in the spring.

Lamont Wade will, most likely, start the year third on the cornerback depth chart for Penn State. It would not be surprising to see him become the full-time nickel corner, and quickly. Wade is an elite athlete, very physical, and a ball hawk in the secondary.

Earlier in the offseason, I wrote that Lamont Wade could win Big Ten Defensive Freshman of the Year. Look for big things out of Wade this fall.

Cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields

Another true freshman to keep an eye on at the cornerback position is Tariq Castro-Fields. At six-foot-1, Castro-Fields brings great length to the cornerback position. He also has excellent speed as he was one of three true freshmen to run a 4.4 second 40-yard dash upon arriving on campus.

Tariq Castro-Fields has done nothing but impress since the start of camp earlier this month. He has worked his way into the two deep at cornerback already and should see playing time this fall.

Defensive end Shaka Toney

Unlike the first two players mentioned, Shaka Toney is a redshirt freshman, not a true freshman. After a redshirt season, last fall Toney now checks in at 218 pounds to go with his six-foot-three frame. He will now look to make an impact as a pass rusher this fall.

While redshirting last fall Shaka Toney was a handful for Penn State’s offensive line on the scout team in practice. He has a great burst off the ball and an excellent first step. This allows him to get past blockers before they can even get their hands on him.

Toney still has a lot of improvement to make as a run defender, he can be a deadly pass rusher this fall. Look for him to get plenty of opportunities in passing situations this year in an effort for the Penn State defense to get after the quarterback.

The ability to rush the passer might be the single biggest question mark when it comes to the 2017 Nittany Lions. Shaka Toney emerging as a pass rushing threat would go a long way toward making the answer to the question become much clearer.

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This fall, the Penn State football team can compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Their offense will be one of the best in the FBS, and their defense has the talent to be one of the best units in the FBS as well. If these three newcomers can step up for Brent Pry and the Nittany Lions, their defense will take a big step toward being national championship caliber.

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