Penn State 2026 Breakout Candidates: Defensive End

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With the days of Abdul Carter and Dani Dennis-Sutton behind us, Penn State football is now heading into 2026 with an unproven defensive end rotation. With Zuriah Fisher and Chaz Coleman leaving the program, the Nittany Lions’ top returner from 2025 is Yvan Kemajou, who had six tackles, five TFLs, and 1.5 sacks last year.

While Kemajou, a sophomore, is certainly a candidate to have a breakout year in his own right, we’re going to highlight some guys who have not gotten much historical playing time who could have monster 2026 seasons.

Max Granville(Redshirt Sophomore)

This is as chalky as it can get, but Max Granville is the top guy to watch on Penn State’s defensive line. The Sugar Land, Texas, native missed all of 2025 with an injury but appeared in seven games as a true freshman in 2024. He was expected to play a major defensive role last season — even with a crowded depth chart — and become a fan-favorite preseason darling before the injury.

At 6-foot-3 and 252 pounds, Granville is a textbook defensive end and has a ton of upside, even beyond his time at Penn State. Coaches and strength staff members have said all the right things about his recovery and progression, but the unfortunate fact is that he’s still unproven. The four-star status, high school tape, and glamorous practice photos can only go so far. While nobody would be surprised if Granville led the team in sacks this year, he still needs to prove it on the field.

LaVar Arrington II(Sophomore)

Yes, the name holds a lot of weight, but LaVar II is genuinely a candidate to have a really solid 2026 campaign. His athleticism was enough to earn him appearances in seven games as a true freshman, burning his redshirt, but the defensive positional fit was never quite right. Now, after Arrington has switched from linebacker to defensive end, all signs point toward him being more comfortable.

It may be a lot to expect a player in his first year in a new position to have a monster year, but Arrington can still play his way squarely into the defensive line rotation. He still is a bit undersized at 220 pounds, so it may be more realistic for him to play a hybrid LB/DE role this season. Either way, I expect to see No. 11 on the field early and often.

Jackson Ford(Freshman)

Jackson Ford! Yes, the same Jackson Ford who was one half of Penn State’s 2026 recruiting class on National Signing Day. The boy who never decommitted.

Yes, Ford (along with quarterback Peyton Falzone) may be more of a folk legend than a contributing defensive player at this point in his career, but I would not be surprised if he burned his redshirt this season. The four-star prospect is a monster, already up to 264 pounds in his 6-foot-5 frame after enrolling early. He’s already a coach-favorite (and fan-favorite) for sticking with Penn State despite the coaching uncertainty, and Matt Campbell said in the spring that he’s “stood out in every phase.”

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