Penn State Football: Way too early defensive position group rankings

1. Safeties 

Penn State Football’s defense got a huge boost when safety Jaquan Brisker announced he will be returning for the 2021 season. Brisker is not only one of their best players, but after losing Lamont Wade to the NFL, his departure would have left a huge hole in the back end of this defense.

Franklin gets his All-American safety back for one more kick at the can, but who plays opposite him will be one of the more intriguing storylines to watch for this spring and summer seasons.

Ji’Ayir Brown and Enzo Jennings are the two most likely candidates, as Brown saw a lot of playing time last season and Jennings is a former highly touted four-star recruit who is still raw, but has the potential to be a game changer.

With all the depth and talent at cornerback there is also the possibility Pry and staff try to move a corner to safety, as they have done in the past with the likes of Lamont Wade, Marcus Allen, and last season were trying to do with Trent Gordon, but the abbreviated offseason really halted.

Safety play was up and down last season, but Brisker really came into his own down the stretch run of the season and if Penn State Football can find him a solid counterpart, this could be a very solid group in 2021.