Penn State Football: 5 key position battles to watch throughout spring practice
By Nick Kreiser
Who will earn the starting middle linebacker spot for Penn State Football?
With Curtis Jacobs as the lone returning starter at linebacker for Penn State Football, the second level of the Nittany Lions’ defense will look vastly different in 2022.
Sixth-year senior Jonathan Sutherland is expected to make the transition from safety to SAM linebacker, but what about the third and final starting linebacker position?
Third-year sophomore Tyler Elsdon and redshirt freshman Kobe King seem to be the likely frontrunners to start at middle linebacker, so that battle for a potential starting spot between two young linebackers will be interesting to watch.
The final two names that could come into play are redshirt senior Charlie Katshir and redshirt freshman Jamari Buddin. It isn’t likely that either of the two will end up in the starting lineup (barring an unfortunate injury) when the Nittany Lions kick off their season at Purdue, but in a position room with limited depth and experience, they shouldn’t be completely ruled out.
The competition to win the starting middle linebacker job will be one of the most important position battles of the offseason for the Nittany Lions, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, so keep a close eye on Tyler Elsdon and Kobe King this spring.