On Tuesday, Penn State defensive tackle PJ Mustipher was named to the Outland Trophy watch list by the Football Writers of America. The Outland Trophy is presented annually to college football’s top interior lineman.
.@KingPJ55 has been named to the Outland Trophy Preseason Watchlist, which is awarded annually to the best interior lineman in the country. #WeAre pic.twitter.com/72uTMMQ1oX
— 🅿️ennState.Rivals.com (@PennStateRivals) July 27, 2022
Mustipher who is 6-foot-4, 321-pounds, was a force in the middle of Penn State’s defense in the first five games of last season by recording 21 tackles (16 solo tackles), three tackles for loss, and a sack. He suffered a season-ending lower-body injury in a game against No. 3 Iowa which they lost 23-20 and Penn State’s defense was not the same after his injury.
Despite only starting six games in 2021, Mustipher earned second-team All-Big Ten honors last season. At Midseason, he was named a Rotary Lombardi Award semifinalist, and was named a Lott IMPACT Trophy quarterfinalist.
Mustipher had an opportunity to enter the NFL Draft, but he decided to stay at Penn State for his final year of eligibility. Mustipher will be playing on a defensive line that features Adisa Isaac who is also returning from injury. He will also be joined by former five-star recruits in freshman Dani Dennis-Sutton and Maryland transfer Chop Robinson, and a four-star recruit in Zane Durant.
Penn State now has ten players on Preseason watch List. Mustipher joins Sean Clifford (Maxwell and Davey O’Brien), Keyvone Lee (Doak Walker), Mitchell Tinsley and Parker Washington (Fred Biletnikoff}, Theo Johnson and Brandon Strange (John Mackey), Juice Scruggs (Dave Rimington},Joey Porter Jr., and Ji’Ayar Brown (Thorpe).
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