There’s a message pinned to Dani Dennis-Sutton’s X account. It reads: “I will be the best defensive end in CFB.” Despite a stellar junior year, it was Penn State teammate Abdul Carter who likely earned that label this past season.
Dennis-Sutton will have another chance to prove it, though. He announced on Monday he’ll return to the Nittany Lions for the 2025 season.
“I’m coming back more determined than ever to dominate on the field, chase that elusive championship, and leave my mark on this legendary program,” Dennis-Sutton wrote. “To my teammates, coaches and the best fans in college football — let’s make this final chapter one for the history books.”
It took Dennis-Sutton three games to collect his first sack of the year. But after that, he rolled. Dennis-Sutton finished the season ranking second on the Nittany Lions with 8.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss. He projects as a potential first-round NFL Draft selection if he continues to improve over his senior year.
Dennis-Sutton was especially remarkable in the College Football Playoff. Over that three-game stretch, he collected a combined 4.5 sacks. His fourth-quarter interception in the Orange Bowl against Notre Dame set Penn State up for a go-ahead score. The Nittany Lions ultimately lost that game, but there’s no denying Dennis-Sutton’s impact.
He earned a 90.4 PFF grade for his efforts against the Fighting Irish, the highest overall rating for any player in a College Football Playoff semifinal matchup.
His return comes shortly after defensive coordinator Tom Allen’s reported departure for Clemson. It’s a promising sign for a program that has not yet publicly announced who will lead its defense next season. Dennis-Sutton joins defensive tackle Zane Durant and safety Zakee Wheatley as fellow defensive starters set to forgo this year’s draft and return for the 2025 season.
On the opposite side of the ball, the Nittany Lions will also return quarterback Drew Allar and running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen, setting the program up nicely for another run at the College Football Playoff in 2025.
