Penn State mailbag: Who was Nittany Lions' most improved player in 2021?

Penn State is waiting to play Arkansas in the Outback Bowl. We’re passing the time with another Blue-White Illustrated staff mailbag.

This week, the topics Nittany Lions fans want to know about include:

–The situation at linebacker, both now and in the future.

–Who the most improved player of the season is.

–Younger players who must step up at a variety of spots

Questions may have been edited slightly for length and clarity. Submit your inquires weekly to the BWI team on Twitter to @PennStateOn3, @NateBauerBWI, @DavidEckert98, @GregPickel. Or, drop a post in our Lions Den forum.

Here are this week’s submissions.

BWI subscriber WEP6-12 asks:

“Is Ellis Brooks most improved player for Penn State this year?”

Eckert: I think he’s a fine choice. I suspect that some of his statistical improvement results from Penn State’s linebacker unit as a whole being a little bit more functional than it was last season, when it had to adjust to not having Micah Parsons rapidly. But there’s no doubt that he’s made considerable strides individually as well. I’ll also throw Ji’Ayir Brown and Jordan Stout out there as other names that deserve a mention.

Pickel: He’s a fine choice. Brooks played his best ball of his Nittany Lions career in 2021. In the vein of being different, though, I’ll go with Ji’Ayir Brown. Four months ago, there was a legitimate competition for that spot and no guarantee that Brown would earn the job. But, over 12 games, he was one of the program’s best defenders. So, my nod goes to him.

Bauer: Brooks seems like a fine choice. (See what I did there?) I’m going to zag here though because I think it’s warranted

Most improved? It’s Sean Clifford.

First, to dispel the Brooks angle, his PFF season grade went from 67.7 in 2020 to 69.6 for the season this year. And for as good as he was for the Nittany Lions’ defense this season, it wasn’t as though his weekly grades varied wildly. He was a solid, run-stopping middle linebacker, which is exactly what Brent Pry likes at that position.

Clifford, on the other hand, wasn’t necessarily as consistent as Brooks. But, in two key respects he was the more improved player.

Not a subscriber? Follow Penn State football for $1

First, he was very bluntly a below-average passer during the 2020 season. He was turnover prone, both throwing interceptions and coughing up costly fumbles, and not particularly accurate. The accuracy, the yards per game, the touchdown to interception ratio: all of it improved.

And second, and maybe more important in my mind, when Clifford was healthy, and against some of the toughest competition of the season, he was excellent. His steady hand at Wisconsin was essential in a grind-it-out game that could have proved frustrating. He was excellent in the win over Auburn. Aside from the sack-fumble for which he shared only a portion of the responsibility, his play at Ohio State was very, very good. And he produced one of his best games of the season (the best, according to PFF at 84.9) in the snow at Michigan State.

In no way is this a drum-pounding exercise to say that Clifford had no shortcomings during the 2021 season, but his improvement on the 2020 campaign and positive impact on the program’s successes before injury is undeniable.

BWI subscriber WeAre asks:

“What is a reasonable estimate for portal scholarships available based on the recently announced departures? Do you think there is any chance any of the freed up Penn State scholarships are used on uncomitted ’22 recruits?”

Eckert: The recruiting angle here is better addressed by our recruiting analyst, Ryan Snyder. As Greg mentions, it looks like there are between 5-7 scholarships available. James Franklin had a pretty long list of areas where he’s looking for reinforcements when he spoke to the media last week — offensive line, wideout, defensive end, defensive tackle and linebacker. I suspect the majority of that space will be used on transfer portal guys.

Pickel: Like James Franklin said last Friday, the number is an ever-moving target. At this moment, it looks like roughly five to seven are freed up, but that can change quickly and shouldn’t be seen as a cemented number. As for question two, if I were in charge, I would maybe look for one offensive lineman or linebacker in the 2022 cycle who I felt certain could make an impact by 2023. And, if that player doesn’t exist, then everything is saved for the portal.

Bauer: My back of the napkin math, making a few assumptions about departures still to come, would be in that range of 5-7 available. I could see it maybe creeping toward 10 if a few “unexpected” names popped into the portal (my point being, there are always a few who filter through and out of the program, so expect the unexpected).

These things are always fluid, but I think that Penn State will need to balance its immediate needs against the quality of the immediate return for a possible transfer versus that of using time for development. Even last year, we were talking about TJ Finley in late-May, and AJ Lytton into July, so I won’t rule out movement after everything appears to be settled.

@StevePennState asks:

“Forget about the bowl game, what does the Penn State linebacker depth chart even look like next year? Who will step up?

Eckert: Kobe King and Jamari Buddin feel like the primary candidates here among the guys who are already on campus. Charlie Karshir and Tyler Elsdon fit into that group as well. This is an area that seems perfect for a transfer portal addition or two.

Pickel: Well, we know that Brandon Smith and Ellis Brooks will not be back. It’s not the prettiest of pictures, no question. If you made me select a linebacker who could break out early in the fall of 2022, however, I’d be forced to go with Jamari Buddin. Hopefully we get to see him make some splash plays in the Outback Bowl.

Bauer: I don’t think it was or should have been a surprise that Penn State’s first look in the transfer portal was at linebacker. And the older classes demonstrate that clearly as, whether he returns or not, Jesse Luketa is a D-end now. I’m not sure you can count on Katshir given some of the injury challenges he’s had to work through. Brooks and Smith are gone.

That leaves, of the guys already in the program, Jacobs, Elsdon, King, Buddin, plus Keon Wylie and Abdul Carter coming in and, folks, that isn’t enough. There are plenty of reasons for optimism out of what’s already on campus, and you can get away with three to eat up the overwhelming majority of the reps, but reinforcements will be needed.

BWI subscriber Poncho570 asks:

“Do you expect Davon Townley to play against Arkansas and who needs to really step up going forward in that room?

Eckert: I would guess that there are some guys ahead of Townley in the pecking order and would be surprised if he saw action. Never say never, though. This is another place where we’re kind of waiting to see what happens. Jesse Luketa is the name to monitor. If Penn State gets him back the dynamic of the room changes. Remember, Adisa Isaac should be back from his injury ahead of next season as well after he missed all of this year. Smith Vilbert and Zuriah Fisher are two guys to monitor for a break-out.

Pickel: I would not expect to see Davon Townley at defensive end in the Outback Bowl at this exact moment. However, we need to see who else opts out and what Penn State plans to do with Jesse Luketa and the linebacker situation. As for who must step up moving forward, Penn State needs Zuriah Fisher to become a force by the start of the 2022 season, in my opinion. If he can put it all together by the opener at Purdue next September, that would help this room in a big way.

Bauer: The one guy not named here yet for the Outback Bowl, who should be, is probably Amin Vanover. He is going to get some run, I suspect. He was in the mix during the brief portion of practice we were privy to see Friday afternoon. Luketa, Nick Tarburton, and Smith Vilbert would round out that depth for the game. Beyond it, Luketa would be a massive piece if he were to return for the 2022 season.

BWI subscriber WTNuke asks:

“Does Penn State even have any safeties left? Who will play more next year?”

Eckert: Ji’Ayir Brown coming back is a huge deal — probably one of the best pieces of roster news Penn State fans could have hoped for this offseason. I think Keaton Ellis will probably get the first crack at the starting job but Jaylen Reed was also getting involved as the season carried on. He’s someone I’m excited to watch in the bowl game.

Pickel: We could easily call this the roster management edition of the BWI mailbag, I see. We’ll play this question like the linebacker one above. Obviously, Brown coming back is huge. He and Keaton Ellis likely enter the spring as starters. I’m keeping a close eye on how Zakee Wheatley progresses over the next handful of months. He played in just one game but could be close to a much bigger role six months from now. This is another position the portal could help at.

Bauer: I don’t see safety as a crisis point, particularly in light of the Brown news on Tuesday.

One, I think Jonathan Sutherland could choose to come back. Whether that happens, or if that’s as a safety or linebacker, would remain to be seen. But I think that could give Penn State some flexibility.

Two, Penn State sees potential for Keaton Ellis and certainly Jaylen Reed, as evidenced this season. Add Wheatley and the trio of Cristian Driver, KJ Winston and Mekhi Flowers to that equation.

Looking at the rep count this season, Penn State really only played four. Brown and Brisker accounted for the vast majority of the game snaps in the position group.

(To the implicit point of the questioner, though, indeed, running a 10-safety look will be difficult.)