Penn State football's 2025-26 season opens Aug. 30 at 3:30 p.m. against Nevada at home. The Nittany Lions have a relatively easy first few weeks to the season, including a Week 4 bye week before Big Ten chaos ensues against Oregon at home for the 2025 rendition of Beaver Stadium's White Out game.
On the journey back to a confernece championship game and the College Football Playoffs, Penn State's returners are sure make sparks in the upcoming season. There are obvious players who will cause a ruckus, but there are also a couple sleeper candidates to watch for.
So who are some of the Nittany Lions to set off some fireworks in 2025-26? Expect something from these eight players.
Nicholas Singleton is arguably the best player Penn State has, and his return is huge for the Nittany Lions. He's an explosive running back who can act as a receiver when needed and is effective while doing so. He had 172 carries for 1,099 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior as well as 41 receptions for 375 yards and five receiving touchdowns. Ahead of the upcoming season, he was selected to the Walter Camp Preseason All-America First Team Offense. His presence on the field is expected to be even greater than it was in 2024-25. Though still an elite player, injuries held Singleton back a bit last season, so there's no doubt that he'll be an exciting and dominant player to watch, especially if he can remain healthy.
Three-year starter Drew Allar is ready to take the next step forward and has the pieces to do so. Aside from Singleton and Kaytron Allen in the backfield, Allar now has three transfer wide receivers. This was one of the main offensive issues in 2024-25, and head coach James Franklin made the necessary adjustments. Wideout Trebor Pena from Syracuse transferred in the offseason and will bring the speed and power the Nittany Lions are looking for. As for Allar's role, the quarterback has a chip on his shoulder to minimize turnovers in big games, improve his own run game, and be a confident decision-maker that his team can follow with trust. Heading into his final NCAA season with being a serious contender for the Heisman Trophy and a high NFL Draft pick, it's almost certain he'll make that leap in his game to the next level.
Dani Dennis-Sutton is who Penn State is relying on to step into Abdul Carter's shoes. Dennis-Sutton is an elite edge rusher that is capable of this challenge and will have more room to thrive in Carter's absence. He wasn't a consistent star as a junior, but he tallied 42 tackles on 24 solos and 18 assists. He had 13 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one interception, three pass breakups, and nine quarterback hurries. The list just goes on and on, and considering that 2024-25 season wasn't considered his elite year is only telling of what will come of his senior season. Playoffs was indicative of that, tallying 4.5 sacks, one of which was a strip-sack fumble, and an interception.
Allen is Singleton's perfect backfield partner. Whereas Singleton is the more explosive running back, speed-wise, Allen is the physical, tough-to-tackle guy. Heading into the 2025-26 season, Allen is coming off a 220-carry season for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns. It's only up from there. He added an additional18 receptions for 153 yards and two receiving touchdown in 2024-25. Allen steps up when needed, as seen in the Nittany Lions playoff run last season. He's difficult to play against even though he's not considered the most efficient running back on Penn State's roster.
Defensive tackle Zane Durant could have declared for the NFL Draft, but like many other Nittany Lions, returned with the intention of winning a title. He played 658 snaps as a junior and was an incredible defensive weapon for Penn State. Like Singleton, Durant was honored as a Walter Camp Preseason All-America selectee. He was named to First Team Defense. In 2024-25, he recorded 22 solo tackles and 20 assists for 42 total tackles on the season. Of these 42, 11 were tackles for loss. Durant also had three sacks. His leap from sophomore to junior year is indicative of what he'll be capable of as a senior and he'll be a powerhouse for the Nittany Lions on the defensive line.
A.J. Harris, like Allar, is projected to be a first round draft pick if he declares for the 2026 NFL Draft. ESPN has the cornerback going No. 25 overall, being picked before Allar comes off the board. He's not at his peak skill-wise, but his first season with the Nittany Lions proved that he can take on the difficult challenges. Harris totaled just five pass breakups and one interception, so production on that area of the stat sheet will be the main focus for the rising junior. However, opposing teams know to stay clear of Harris. Across the NCAA he's a valuable piece in the secondary.
Luke Reynolds has his work cut out for him. Stepping into the shoes of now-Indianapolis Colt Tyler Warren is a tall glass of water. He showed glimpses of his abilities last season, but now it's time for Reynolds to step into the spotlight and prove himself in the absence of the elite first-rounder. The rising sophomore is due for a breakout year, according to Fox Sports' Michael Cohen. Cohen said that there isn't on-field production to base his projection on, but a limited role doesn't mean limited talent.
Nick Dawkins is who ESPN named as Penn State's sleeper candidate for 2025-26. Adam Rittenberg wrote that he's the "heart" of the offensive line and shouldn't be overlooked just because of his position. The Nittany Lions have one of the strongest offensive lines in the country heading into the season and it stems from the solid pack of returners. Dawkins only allowed two sacks in 2024-25. This is just another season for him to make the space for Singleton, Allen, and Allar, and he'll get it done no doubt.