Penn State’s secondary will look different in 2024, partly due to players leaving for the NFL and partly due to the implementation of the “lion” position under new defensive coordinator Tom Allen.
Jaylen Reed and Kevin Winston Jr. are the only returning starters from the group, with Reed currently the favorite to start at lion.
Reed is entering his fourth season with the Nittany Lions and was one of three veterans chosen to represent Penn State at Big Ten Media Days, showing the coaches’ confidence in him.
The Detroit native started all 13 games last year, en route to All-Big Ten honorable mention status from both coaches and media. He recorded 46 tackles, four for loss, and had two interceptions.
Meanwhile, Winston enters his third season on campus after starting all 13 games last year. He surprisingly beat out veteran Keaton Ellis for the second safety role, who has since joined the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent.
Winston has earned mixed reviews this offseason, including a first-round draft projection and strong PFF rankings, contrasted with being left off the Jim Thorpe Award watch list for the top defensive back and the All-Big Ten preseason teams.
Safety Zakee Wheatley (6) sings the alma mater after the Penn State Football game inside Beaver Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023 in University Park, Pa. The Nittany Lions beat the Hoosiers 33-24.
There are varying opinions about how successful his 2024 campaign will be, but he’s expected to lock down a starting role once again after posting 61 tackles and six passes defended last season.
The third starting role could be awarded to redshirt sophomore Zakee Wheatley, who Allen said has made the “biggest jump” of any player during the offseason.
Wheatley has yet to start a game at the collegiate level but has appeared in 29 contests so far, including all 13 last season. Through his first three seasons, he’s recorded 53 tackles, adding a pair of interceptions and a forced fumble.
Allen said “those three young men are as good of three safeties as you’re going to have in the country.” The players below them on the depth chart are mostly unproven, though they bring impressive high school resumes.
Likely to see more time this year are redshirt freshmen DaKaari Nelson and Lamont Payne Jr., who appeared in a combined four games last season and posted blank stat sheets, are the next men up.
Additionally, Vaboue Toure and Dejuan Lane arrive for their freshman seasons as 4-star recruits who could find the field in reserve roles.
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