Penn State is just five days away from opening up their 2021 season with a tough matchup against Wisconsin and today James Franklin revealed his team captains for the season.
The Nittany Lions program announced that six players will wear the “C” for the 2021 football season.
Safety Jaquan Brisker, quarterback Sean Clifford, defensive tackle PJ Mustipher, safety Jonathan Sutherland, offensive lineman Rasheed Walker and kicker/punter Jordan Stout.
Brisker is a senior from Gateway High School in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, who decided to return to Happy Valley, passing up an opportunity to enter the 2021 NFL Draft. Brisker (6’1″, 200) is played in 22 games and made 9 starts in the Nittany Lions secondary. Last season, Brisker recorded 57 tackles, 1 interception and 3.5 tackles for loss. Brisker was a nominated this year as a preseason AP All-American candidate.
Photo by Penn State Athletics: Jaquan Brisker from 2019. He wore No. 1 this season.
Clifford is a redshirt senior from Saint Xavier High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. Clifford has made 20 starts for PSU and is one of eleven Penn State players to record 5,000 yards of total yards and one of twelve quarterbacks to go over 4,000 career passing yards. His other milestones include being PSU’s all-time leader in passing efficiency rating (146.8), second in completion percentage (.600), fifth in touchdown passes (41), eleventh in passing yards and completions (346).
Photo by Penn State Athletics: Sean Clifford
Mustipher is a senior from McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Maryland. The 6’4″, 326 pound defensive tackle was named an honorable mention All-Big Ten player in 2020 after starting 9 games and making 35 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack and two quarterback hurries. Mustipher also earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.
Photo by Penn State Athletics: PJ Mustipher
Sutherland is a redshirt senior from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Sutherland was also voted a captain last season for the Nittany Lions. In 9 games last season, Sutherland made 14 tackles and 2 tackles for loss. He was awarded the No. 0 jersey, which is symbolic of Penn State’s special teams leader, a new tradition started at Penn State. Sutherland also earned academic All-Big Ten honors.
Photo by Penn State Athletics
Jordan Stout is redshirt senior from Honaker High School in Cedar Bluff, Virginia. Stout holds the Penn State record for a 57 yard field goal that he connected on in the game against Pitt in 2019. Last season, Stout ranked first in the Big Ten and seventh nationally in touchback percentage (84%). Stout is tied for second at Penn State with three career fields goals of 50 yards or more (50 vs. Ohio State, 2020; 57 vs. Pitt, 2019; 53 vs. Idaho, 2019) with Kevin Kelly (2005-08) and Massimo Manca (1982, 84-86).
Photo by Penn State Athletics: Jordan Stout
Walker is a 6’6″, 320 pound offensive tackle from North Point High School in Waldorf, Maryland. Walker has appeared in 26 career games and has made 22 starts at Penn State. Early NFL Mock Draft have projected Walker as a potential 1st round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Photo by Penn State Athletics: Rasheed Walker
