Jim Knowles was available following an open training camp practice on Aug. 2. Zane Durant, Amare Campbell, and Tony Rojas were of discussion for the Penn State football defensive coordinator, all three leaving an immediate impression on him within the first two days of training camp.
"When your defensive tackles make tackles, right, instead of using up blocks," Knowles said of Durant. ". . . when they're actually productive it changes the whole way that you plan defense and [Durant's] that guy. He's that guy who can do that immediately, who has done it."
The defensive tackle has a high ceiling in 2025 after stepping onto the scene as a junior. He aims to make another significant leap in his game like he did from freshman to sophomore and then sophomore to junior year.
Durant isn't the only player Knowles saw with that immediate instinct. The North Carolina transfer was named Defender of the Day, according to Lions247 after the first practice of camp.
"In two days, I see a lot of natural linebacker skills," Knowles said of Campbell.
He posted 76 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and two passes defensed in 2024 as a sophomore. After staying at North Carolina for the spring under new head coach Bill Belichick, he re-entered the Transfer Portal and committed to Penn State in early May.
"You don't see that as much in this day and age of college football because a lot of linebackers are converted from other positions," Knowles said. ". . . There's a skill to playing linebacker that a lot of it is innate, instinctual, and we're at LBU, so had a lot of great ones here . . . when you look at the past and how they made plays . . . a lot of it's through natural instinct — through things that you can't teach."
Rojas underwent upper-body surgery in the spring, so Knowles had yet to see him in-person. He only has the linebacker's film to base his opinion on.
"Just in a couple days [I'm] very impressed. Very impressed. He seems to have developed physically in the offseason and not only that, but he's picked things up quickly, which is tough when you don't get the reps on the field," Knowles said. ". . . I've seen his knowledge of the defense [and it] has been impressive; and he's able to perform within the scheme and utilize his talents in a way that he kind of jumped out."
The junior tallied 58 tackles, six tackles for loss, four pass break-ups, and three interceptions in 2024 as a sophomore. Rojas also earned praise from strength coach Chuck Losey before camp was underway. His leaps in the offseason should transfer over into the upcoming season, especially his speed.