Penn State's 2026 season will feature a completely overhauled roster following an offseason of significant transition. A coaching change led to a flurry of activity in the transfer portal, which led to a number of new faces on the program. We have taken some time to profile each player on the roster this season, but now it is time to dig a little deeper on the 25 players who will play the largest roles on the roster.
One of the key players expected to have a major role on the defense this season is edge rusher Max Granville. After missing out on the 2025 season, Granville is reportedly hitting the pads this summer at full strength, and that could be bad news for opposing offenses this fall.
2025 in review
The promising 2025 season never came to be for Penn State
defensive end Max Granville. Granville suffered a knee injury during the offseason, putting him on the shelf for the entire season. That also led to Granville missing out on spring football practices this year as he continued his path back to playing.
Granville appeared in seven games during his 2024 true freshman season. His stats were minimal in backup duty with just one total tackle and one pass breakup as Penn State cleared the bench in late-game situations.
Biggest question for 2026
After missing the entire 2025 season and spring football practices, it may be fair to ask just how much can be expected out of Max Granville this fall. Any time a player is coming off a significant knee injury, especially at a position that relies on lower-body strength as much as the edge rusher typically does, it is cause for some concern going into the year.
The good news is the vibes and reactions to Granville's return to the practice field this summer have been uplifting. A healthy Granville could have a major impact on the Penn State defense.
2026 will be a success if...
Obviously, a fully healthy Max Granville will lead to a successful season by itself. But having a fierce presence on the edge and causing havoc in the backfield on a consistent basis the way former players like Abdul Carter and Dani Dennis-Sutton. Penn State will rely on Granville to continue that tradition of strong pressure off the edges and having an impact in disrupting the flow of some of the more challenging offenses the Nittany Lions will face this fall.
2026 will be a disappointment if...
Putting aside any possibility of reinjuring a knee, the 2026 season would be a disappointment if Max Granville fails to create the desired pressure off the edge in big spots. Granville is expected to be a fixture on the edge of the defense, but a lack of threat from the outside leading to a need to insert other options on a regular basis would be unpleasant to see.
Realistic outlook for 2026
In a sense, Max Granville is in line to replace Dani Dennis-Sutton, who was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 2026 NFL draft. Dennis-Sutton racked up 42 total tackles and 12.0 TFL in 13 games played last season. Expecting Granville to hit those numbers may be a tad unfair, but hitting double-digits in his TFL count may not be too far off from reality.
Penn State Top 25 Players in 2026
Next: OL Brock Riker
Kevin McGuire is the lead writer for Nittany Lions Wire, part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on BlueSky, Threads or any of these other platforms.
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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Penn State Top 25 players for 2026: Max Granville
