Part II: THE TOP 25 PENN STATE PLAYERS OF THE MILLENNIUM

With the first 25 seasons of college football in the books, Penn State has left an indelible mark on college the sport. 

In this five-part series, I will be ranking the 25 best players Penn State football played in the first 25 seasons of the 21st century. 

You can read Part I that examines 25 to 21,  here.

Now here is Part II, ranking players No. 20 to No. 16. 

20. NaVarro Bowman

In the modern renaissance that is Stix City with the No. 11, the often overlooked member to wear No. 11 was the first to have it officially bequeathed to him.

The original No. 11, LaVar Arrington, said he got the idea of passing it on to start a tradition nearly a decade after he left. 

As Arrington’s thoughts started to become a reality he got to meet NaVorro Bowman during his prep career in Maryland. Arrington quickly became a mentor. 

Arrington said he saw opportunity with Bowman and urged Penn State’s coaching staff to give Bowman his No. 11.

Bowman lived up to the lofty standards set by Arrington, the two time First Team All-Big Ten selection often came up big in the biggest stages. Asked to spy Ohio State freshman phenom quarterback Terrelle Pryor, it limited Pryor’s creativity with Bowman finishing with 10 tackles and a pass defense. 

In the 2010 Capital One Bowl, Bowman arguably had his best individual performance in the mud having 9 total tackles (7 solo) along with 2.0 tackles for losses securing the 19-17 win over LSU.

19. Devon Still 

When you mention Still, the first thoughts usually go to his efforts to aid his daughter Leah when she was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma Cancer. The efforts Still had that impacted the NFL and community earned him and his daughter Leah at the ESPY’s “The Jimmy V. Award.”

This led to Leah beating cancer in 2016 and even remarked five years after saying she was cancer free.

If Leah received the courage to fight from her Dad, cancer didn’t have a shot.

Devon Still was arguably the best defensive tackle Penn State had in the 21st Century. Still won the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year efforts in 2011 – the second defensive tackle in the history of the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors to win it (Jared Odrick was the first).

Still was a game wrecker, becoming the sixth Nittany Lion of the 21st Century to earn Consensus All-American honors. Still was amongst the nation’s leaders for tackles for losses with 17 in 2011 to go along 55 tackles (29 solo) and 4.5 sacks.

18. Nick Singleton 

Penn State’s rushing attack plummeted to one of the worst units in the country during the 2021 season. That year, the Nittany Lions averaged 107.1 rushing yards per game which ranked 118th nationally.

James Franklin knew he needed instant impact in the backfield, and the Class of 2022 produced one of the best in the 21st Century in l Singleton.

My first impressions of him came when Penn State visited Auburn in Week 3 of the 2022 season. Singleton finished the day with 10 carries 124 yards and two touchdowns. But it was his second touchdown that was the highlight. Singleton simply hit top speed and blew past Auburn defenders for a 54-yard touchdown that left me realizing he was special.

Singleton would cap off his freshman season in style, not only becoming the third Penn State freshman running back to rush for over 1,000 yards (D.J. Dozier 1983, Saquon Barkley 2015 – the others), but also in style.  

In the 2023 Rose Bowl having the third longest touchdown run of 87 yards in the game’s history. Singleton joined Barkley and Ki-Jana Carter with their signature Rose Bowl runs.

Singleton is poised to break Evan Royster’s mark for career yardage with another 1,000 yard season and is presently fifth all-time in rushing touchdowns (32).

17. Sean Lee

In the mid-2000’s, Penn State had absolute tackling machines at the linebacker position. Linebackers like Gino Capone, Paul Posluszny, Dan Connor were the mold that Sean Lee fit into as well.

Lee proved to be a worthy complement to Dan Connor in the 2007 season. Connor collaborated with Paul Posluszny to be a formidable duo at linebacker. In Lee’s first season with Connor, the duo combined for 283 tackles (Connor 145 – Lee 138) the most by a linebacker duo in the 21st Century.

Lee’s 138 tackles are the fourth highest single season total by a Penn State defender in the 21st Century and was the fifth highest single season total in Penn State at the time.

To cap off his superlative season, Lee recorded a game-high 14 tackles against Texas A&M in the Alamo Bowl, setting an Alamo Bowl record, to earn Defensive MVP honors.

As Lee was to assume the leadership mantle, he suffered an ACL injury that wiped out his 2008 season. Despite the injury, Lee was still elected as a captain for the 2008 team. 

Overall, Lee is ranked fourth in Penn State history in career  tackles with 325 and tied for third in fumbles recovered with six.

16. Allen Robinson

When Bill O’Brien lost Justin Brown to Oklahoma amongst a slew of other issues with his wide receiving group, Robinson became one of the biggest developmental successes to the most decorated Penn State wide receiver thus far in the 21st Century.

Robinson became the first Big Ten wide receiver to win the conference’s wide receiver award in consecutive seasons – only Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. has duplicated the feat. 

For quarterbacks Matt McGloin and Christian Hackenberg, Robinson was the end all be all for them, as Robinson set Penn State records for most receptions (97 in 2013 – since eclipsed by Tyler Warren in 2024) and yards (1,432 – in 2013) in a single season meanwhile leading the Big Ten in back-to-back seasons in receptions and yards as well.

Two plays come to mind when you mention Robinson.

First will always be the reception he made from a desperation heave from Hackenberg in the 2013 Michigan game to set up the game tying touchdown to go to overtime.

The other came against Ohio State the same season. Penn State was down 63-7, Robinson easily could have thrown in the towel – how could you blame him, but Robinson took a quick hitter from Tyler Ferguson and as great an open field runner as Penn State has had at wide receiver weaved through an Ohio State defense for an 65-yard touchdown reception.