Penn State Football: predicting the stat leaders for the Nittany Lions in 2022

Defense

Tackles: Curtis Jacobs

Sacks and tackles for loss: Adisa Isaac

Interceptions: Ji’Ayir Brown

Among returning players, Curtis Jacobs is second in tackles as he had 61 in 2021. The only player ahead of him is Ji’Ayir Brown, who had 73 tackles on the year. However, with Jacobs’ move into the box to play weak side linebacker, he’ll have an opportunity for many more tackles. Plus, he won’t be coming off the field whenever the Nittany Lions go with a nickel package like he did last year.

Curtis Jacobs is a tackling machine, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him amass 100 total tackles in 2022 and lead the team in that category.

Speaking of Ji’Ayir Brown, it would be just disrespectful to think that the nation’s leader in interceptions from a year ago would not, at the very least, lead his own team in takeaways again this year.

Finally, last year’s leader in both sacks and tackles for loss (Arnold Ebiketie) has moved on to the NFL, and the defensive end position is wide open at this point. Returning from an Achillies’ injury, Adisa Isaac has the highest upside of any of the upperclassmen at the position.

A case could certainly be made for some of the young and talented players to lead the team in sacks and/or tackles for loss – namely Demeioun Robinson and Dani Dennis-Sutton – but Isaac will likely be a starter for this Penn State Football team from the get-go, whereas the younger duo will have to play their way into more playing time throughout the first few weeks.