Penn State is set to have possibly its best year yet in the James Franklin era, and one outlet seems to agree.
PFF just released its PFF College 50: The 50 best players in college football ahead of the 2025 season list, and there are four Nittany Lions on it.
Those players are:
22. QB Drew Allar
"While his performance in Penn State's final game of the season was rough (36.6 PFF passing grade), Allar quieted many critics by quarterbacking the Nittany Lions to the College Football Playoff semifinals this past season. He finished as the nation’s sixth-most-valuable signal-caller in the process, according to PFF WAA. His 21 big-time throws were a top-20 mark, while his 2.1% turnover-worthy play rate ranked 21st. With a loaded roster surrounding him, he has the potential to take the Nittany Lions on an even deeper run this season."
31. RB Nicholas Singleton
"Singleton surprisingly decided to return to Happy Valley for his senior season despite being a projected Day 2 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. His 1,106 rushing yards in 2024 trailed only Notre Dame‘s Jeremiyah Love and Louisville‘s Isaac Brown among returning Power Four running backs, and his 6.4 yards per carry ranked eighth in the Power Four. Love is also the only returning halfback in college football who was more valuable than Singleton in 2024, according to PFF WAA.
"Singleton complements his rushing skillset with dynamic receiving ability. He tallied 682 receiving yards over the past two seasons — the fifth most among FBS running backs and the most among returning Power Four rushers. His seven receiving touchdowns are also tied for the most in the nation during that span. Singleton has great size for the position at 6-foot-1 and 226 pounds, as well as the speed to take the ball to the house from anywhere on the field."
39. DI Zane Durant
"Durant was a constant presence in opposing backfields last season, excelling as both a pass rusher and a run defender. He led all FBS interior defenders with 14 tackles for loss or no gain and racked up 28 pressures (top-25 mark) in 2024. Despite being undersized at 6-foot-1 and 288 pounds, Durant plays with impressive power and uses his quickness to shoot gaps effectively, making him a disruptive force on the defensive line."
48. EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton
"The Nittany Lions may have lost the best edge rusher in the country in Abdul Carter, but they’re still in a strong position thanks to the return of Dani Dennis-Sutton. According to PFF’s Wins Above Average metric, Dennis-Sutton is tied as the most valuable returning Power Four edge over the last two seasons, and his 75 pressures during that span rank second among that group, trailing only T.J. Parker. A former five-star recruit, Dennis-Sutton has the physical tools and explosiveness that teams covet at the position. With continued development, he could climb even higher on this list."