Penn State’s defensive line is looking sturdy entering next season, even with the departure of All-American edge rusher Abdul Carter. On Tuesday, defensive end Smith Vilbert appeared to announce his return for the 2025 season, his seventh with the Nittany Lions.
“One more Ride!!” Vilbert posted on social media.
The 6-foot-6, 282-pound Vilbert was once viewed as a rising star among coaches after his three sacks against Arkansas in 2021 set an Outback Bowl record. But Vilbert missed almost the entirety of the 2022 season for an undisclosed reason and all of the 2023 season due to injury. This past year was the most anyone had seen of Vilbert since he dominated the Razorbacks.
Vilbert was, however, provided with an extra year of eligibility via the medical redshirt he took while recovering from injury in 2023.
Well rested after sitting for nearly two years, Vilbert returned this past season and played in all 16 games. He contributed 12 tackles, four tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and 1.5 sacks over the course of his sixth year of college.
With Carter entering the NFL Draft, Vilbert should compete for a starting role alongside Dani Dennis-Sutton, who announced his return to Penn State on Monday. Vilbert is set to compete for that spot with Zuriah Fisher, who missed this past season’s entirety with an injury, as well as Amin Vanover, who has a COVID season of eligibility remaining.
