
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.