Assessing the Penn State defensive tackle class
Penn State defensive line coach Deion Barnes is having a whale of a first season in his new role. The former graduate assistant and (brief) analyst just landed the team’s top prospect for the Class of 2024 in athlete Liam Andrews and followed that up by nabbing mammoth 6-6 interior defender T.A. Cunningham. While the coaching staff works as a unit in recruiting, Barnes has gotten some impressive players across the finish line in his first year as a position coach.
Let’s take a moment to assess the work he’s done so far and see what’s left to accomplish.
Defensive tackle leads the way for Penn State?
It’s hard to remember a time when Penn State has gone as hard after interior defensive linemen as they have this cycle. Moreover, it’s hard to remember when they’ve hit as much as they have in this class. Andrews is the centerpiece and is a big reason for the overall optimism, but the group of four defensive tackles is impressive.
The first thing that sticks out with this group is that, like the offensive line, it has superior length. Two of the tackles in this group have a massive 35-inch reach, while the other two meet the 33-inch threshold for the position. In years past, Penn State had to settle for athletic players that didn’t meet the measurements of the position to find a player that fit their other standards. This class makes no compromises.
This is a big class. Literally.
Both De’Andre Cook and Andrews are pushing 6-5, while Cunningham is over 6-6. With size like that, growth is more predictable than players who are 6-3 and shorter. This class could produce two or more defensive tackles that are comfortable over 300 pounds while maintaining the athletic profile Penn State desires. In other words, this is the class they’ve been trying to build for years.
To that point, the types of bodies are varied too. Cook and Cunningham project as powerful nose tackle types, while Xavier Gilliam and Andrews are excellent three-technique style players. Penn State took multiple bites at the apple for both positions, giving them a better chance of hitting at each position. You don’t have to rest all your hopes on Gilliam becoming a complete defensive tackle. He’s free to play at his best position and weight.
You can’t make a class all about one player, but let’s focus on Andrews momentarily. He’s got the potential to be the best all-around player of this group who excels as a pass rusher and as a run defender. In years past, he might have to play out of position to accommodate the team’s needs. But with Cunnigham and Cook on board, there’s a more likely scenario that he can play as a 300-pound three-technique that can wreak havoc from an ideal position in the defense. He’ll still find himself clogging up running lanes occasionally because Penn State doesn’t play a strict differentiation between the two positions. Still, more times than not, he can be on the field with a player who is best at absorbing double teams.
May the Odds be in Your Favor
The reality of recruiting is that only a few of these players will hit, and fewer will reach the ceiling of their potential. But by grabbing players who have exceptional traits, the odds are better for this group. For the first time in many years, the team can make a reasonable bet that Penn State will hit big on a defensive tackle.
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