Penn State Football: 3 players who lost the most ground during spring ball

1. Jesse Luketa

Linebacker Jesse Luketa was thrust into a starting role when Micah Parsons opted out of last season due to Covid-19 and struggled a bit at middle linebacker.

Defensive coordinator Brent Pry was critical of linebacker play during a midseason press conference and directly called out Luketa and teammate Ellis Brooks. Luketa struggled to tackle in open space and going sideline to sideline, because he is a bulkier player and lacks the speed of a Brandon Smith.

It looks like this offseason and spring, Smith, a former five-star recruit will be moving over to the inside which will keep him on the field for all three downs and keep him in the box where he can make more plays around the line of scrimmage. Freshman linebacker Curtis Jacobs looks to have taken on the outside linebacker role as well, even so much that Franklin said he would be a starter if the season started today.

Luketa may even be changing positions to defensive end where the Nittany Lions are thin, and Luketa at six-foot-three and 255 pounds already has the size to step in and be a contributor. However, he has been sidelined with an injury this spring, so it is tough to imagine him being much of a factor next fall on the defensive line.