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Penn State Football: 5 freshman who can make big impact on 2021 season

By Alec Whitaker

St. Xavier wide receiver Liam Clifford (2) catches a pass during the Bombers' 28-24 loss to Elder, Friday, Nov. 15, 2019.Elder11
St. Xavier wide receiver Liam Clifford (2) catches a pass during the Bombers' 28-24 loss to Elder, Friday, Nov. 15, 2019.Elder11 /
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Penn State Football
Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Jaden Dottin (19) is tackled by Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Max Chizmar (50) during the Penn State spring practice at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Alberti-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Tyler Elsdon

A fellow Pennsylvania 4-star recruit in the 2020 class, Tyler Elsdon has a chance to play a role similar to Fisher for the Penn State Football defense.

While Penn State’s first team linebacker unit seems set with Brandon Smith, Ellis Brooks and Curtis Jacobs, with Luketa filling in from time to time, the second team spots are wide open.

Redshirt junior Charlie Katshir looks to be locked into a second team outside linebacker spot, but the middle spot is the one Elsdon will likely be vying for.

Much like defensive end, once you get past the first team linebacker group, there isn’t much playing experience to be had. While Elsdon only played in one game in 2020, he will likely see a lot of action in 2021.

At 6-foot-2 and 229 pounds, he has solid size for middle linebacker. He was an under-the-radar member of the 2020 class, playing at North Schuylkill in heart of the Pennsylvania coal region. 247 Sports was high on him, ranking him as a 4-star, and clearly the Penn State staff liked him a lot as well.

In 2016, we saw how quickly the linebacker group can be decimated due to injuries, and how it can cause serious problems for the Penn State defense. With Luketa needed more at defensive end, Elsdon has a shot to be a key contributor for the 2021 linebacker group.

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