Does Penn State have any Top 100 players in the nation?

The topic of ranking players in football, both in the NFL and college leagues, is quite intriguing. The NCAA released its own list of the top 100 players in the nation, compiled by USA TODAY's Austin Curtright, and it didn't include a single player from Penn State. Despite losing a significant amount of talent to the transfer portal and NFL draft, it remains surprising that none of the Nittany Lions made the cut.

While there might not be many players on the roster with enough exposure to make the list, one notable figure, linebacker Tony Rojas, was notably absent.

Rojas, one of the few players recognizable outside of Penn State, was on track to have a stellar season in 2024, with a projected 75 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, and six sacks before his injury. Although it's uncertain if he would have achieved these benchmarks, even a performance around these numbers would have been impressive, especially for a player primarily playing off-ball linebacker.

This exclusion is particularly perplexing when compared to Georgia linebacker Chris Cole, whose numbers in the 2024 season were remarkably similar to Rojas'. However, Rojas has faced skepticism before, and he will have an opportunity to gain more recognition when the Nittany Lions season begins.