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Penn State sets 'Freaks List' record with six Lions making the cut, including one in the top 10

Greg Pickelby:Greg Pickel•08/15/23•

GregPickel

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Chpp Robinson.

Penn State has always been represented on Bruce Feldman’s annual ‘Freaks List.’ However, this year, the team has set a record. Six Nittany Lions made the top 100 list, and all of them landed inside of the top 50. It’s the most players from one school to make the cut, The Athletic’s national college football insider said on social media.

Junior defensive end Chop Robinson leads the way. He checks in at No. 9 overall.

“So the Nittany Lions have an incredibly explosive 250-pound guy with blazing speed, great strength and Freakish agility. Yeah, we remember a guy like that who came out of Happy Valley.

We’re not saying Chop can be another Micah Parsons, but he is still very special. He had 10 TFLs and 5.5 sacks last season, and will be even better this year. The 6-3, 254-pound junior is a little bigger than Parsons, and almost as fast. He clocked a 4.47 40 this offseason and ran a quicker shuttle, 4.22. He also broad-jumped 10-7 and bench-pressed 400 pounds.”

The next entry may be a surprise to some but not to those who have followed along all offseason. Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Jordan van den Berg checks in at No. 15. He is primed for a breakout season if all of the talk turns into results on the field.

“This offseason, he benched 455, cleaned 380 and back-squatted 690, but it’s the combination of that strength with his agility numbers that forced his way onto this list,” Feldman writes. “He was clocked at 4.74 in the 40 and his shuttle time of 4.20 might be even more impressive. He also vertical-jumped 31 inches and broad-jumped 9-2.”

Where did the other Penn State players end up on this year’s ‘Freaks List’?

Next up on Feldman’s list is offensive tackle Olu Fashanu. Among other impressive feats, he ran a 4.87-second 40-yard-dash this offseason. He is No. 23.

“I just think generally I’ve gotten bigger, faster and stronger,” Fashanu told Feldman, “and that’s just a testament to Coach (Chuck) Losey and his strength staff. Having us do all the workouts for an exact reason. I give them all the credit in the world.”

Running back Nicholas Singleton is next up at No. 31. The sophomore looks to build on his Big Ten freshman of the year season in 2022. Then, at No. 38, we find second-year Penn State defensive tackle Zane Durant.

“Durant is about 6-1, 284 pounds and clocked a 4.66 40 this offseason,” Feldman writes. “Durant has generated some big buzz inside the Nittany Lions’ program and we can see why. He ran a 4.44 shuttle and broad-jumped 9-10 to go with a 425-pound bench. Big-time numbers all around, especially for someone who has only had one full year in a college weight program.”

The last Penn State player on the list is second-year linebacker Abdul Carter. He checks in at No. 43 overall.

“At 6-3, 250, Carter clocked a 4.48 40, had a 4.35 shuttle and broad-jumped 10-7,” Feldman writes. “He also power-cleaned 350.”

See the full ‘Freaks List’ from The Athletic here.

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