Penn State Football: 15 greatest PSU players of Joe Paterno era

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Nov 18, 2006; State College , PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Paul Posluszny (31) lines up against the Michigan State Spartans in the first half at Beaver Stadium in State College, PA. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports Copyright (c) 2006 Jason Bridge /

No. 5 greatest player of Joe Paterno era: Paul Posluszny (2003-06)

Career tackles: 336
2005 Butkis Award
2005 and 2006 Bednarik Award
2005 and 2006 Consensus All-American

Posluzny was a part of a resurgence at Penn State. Not just of the linebacker position, but the entire program. In his first two seasons on campus, the team went 3-9 and 4-7, but when Posluszny became a captain in 2005, everything changed.

The Nittany Lions went 11-1 and won the Orange Bowl in 2005, then 9-4 in 2006 with an Outback Bowl win. Posluszny was named the 2005 Butkus Award winner as the nation’s best linebacker and won the 2005 and 2005 Bednarik Awards as the nation’s best defensive player.

He was a Consensus All-American in his junior and senior seasons. Posluszny finished his career as Penn State’s all-time leading tackler but was passed by Dan Connor the next season.

Posluszny was drafted in the second round of the 2007 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills and his NFL career was successful, but he was somewhat limited by injuries.

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