Size is clearly a priority for Matt Campbell, defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn, and defensive line coach Ikaika Malloe. The first non-Iowa State addition the new Penn State defensive braintrust made, 6-foot-5, 320-pound Keanu Williams, proved that.
Now, the group’s latest transfer commitment fits the same mold. Unlike Williams, Alexander McPherson plays on the edge, not the interior, but the Colorado transfer still has plenty of size. And the 6-foot-6, 240-pound defensive end used it to great effect as a true freshman in the Big 12.
Following a year with 10 QB pressures and one sack across nine games, the former three-star recruit out of IMG Academy entered the transfer portal, and on Tuesday, he became Penn State’s 22nd transfer commit of the offseason, just four days into the portal window.
Penn State lands commitment from 6-foot-6 EDGE Alex McPherson
McPherson’s long arms and massive frame helped him to hit the ground running in Year 1 with the Buffaloes. Though he managed just a 9.3 percent pass rush win rate, he flashed potential as a high-upside player off the edge.
That upside isn’t limited just to what he can do, pinning his ears back and getting after the quarterback. Long arms are also useful to keep blockers off your body to stack and shed in the run game or set the edge. That will be important to Lynn as he and Malloe look to reconstruct Penn State’s defensive line in their image. That image is one of size.
Under Deion Barnes, Penn State’s defensive lines tended to be a bit light in the pants. Their quickness advantage allowed players like Zane Durant to penetrate and make plays in the backfield, but also forced defensive coordinators to allocate additional resources to stop the run. Lynn would prefer not to stack the box, even against the Big Ten’s best.
Instead, Lynn and Malloe appear intent on building a bigger, stouter defensive line to hold up with a four-down front, which Penn State is used to playing from Jim Knowles to Tom Allen to Manny Diaz and so on. Lynn attempted to undergo a similar transformation at USC after Lincoln Riley’s longtime DC Alex Grinch favored undersized defensive tackles as well.
With such a big frame, McPherson should be able to add weight as he matures through his career, and with multiple years of eligibility remaining, he aligns with Campbell’s other clear portal tenet.
Campbell and his Iowa State staff had a well-earned reputation as master developers. So, rather than load up on instant impact veterans, they’ve tended to take some swings on younger players who can grow into stars in Happy Valley.