2025 Breakout Players

[RickinDayton]

Penn State transfer pickup, former Top 100 prospect Enai White switches positions

Penn State defensive lineman Enai White has moved inside to tackle ahead of his first season with the program. A former Top 100 prospect out of Philadelphia, he spent the last three years at defensive end with Texas A&M.

247sports.com

Was hoping white would help with the DE rotation but the move inside may help more. Hopefully, he can figure out a way to use his ability.

Perhaps this should have been done in the Spring? He has three weeks in camp and three OOC games to absorb a new position and try to earn a rotation spot @ DT. Hoping it works out for him.

 

[Sheriff Coffee]

Perhaps this should have been done in the Spring? He has three weeks in camp and three OOC games to absorb a new position and try to earn a rotation spot @ DT. Hoping it works out for him.

Agreed. But a lot goes into this. First, the player has to want to do this in the era of the Xfer Portal. Second, he went from ~ 250 to 275 in the off-season. As a RS Jr. he's got another year to get up into the 290 range. He's 6-5 so pushing 300 shouldn't be a problem. It can also be that the true frosh DEs are just that good. DiNardo raved about PSU's young untested DEs and passing the looks test. Called them game-ready.

White was a highly recruited 4 star who was 6-5 and 225 our of high school with an offer from Alabama. He may have seen that his future was in the past at DE.

 

[Lazy Dave]

Perhaps this should have been done in the Spring? He has three weeks in camp and three OOC games to absorb a new position and try to earn a rotation spot @ DT. Hoping it works out for him.

One has to read between the lines here, but my take is this:

1. White was brought in to bolster DE depth. You have to run him the entire spring to see what you have. Between whatever portal conversations were had and navigating a new depth chart, I can see why you leave him there.

2. The move being made at this point (3 weeks prior to Nevada) tells me that White wasn't in the 3 deep at DE. At 275, the staff is guiding him towards DT. Based on his career at A&M, it might be for the best.

3. I don't think there are any expectations of him contributing at DT this year. I have to wonder if the "slide him back out to DE if we need a bigger End" is legit or lip service. We've seen it before (Townley, Vilbert) and in both cases it played out more like limbo than certainty.

 

[GregInPitt]

One has to read between the lines here, but my take is this:

1. White was brought in to bolster DE depth. You have to run him the entire spring to see what you have. Between whatever portal conversations were had and navigating a new depth chart, I can see why you leave him there.

2. The move being made at this point (3 weeks prior to Nevada) tells me that White wasn't in the 3 deep at DE. At 275, the staff is guiding him towards DT. Based on his career at A&M, it might be for the best.

3. I don't think there are any expectations of him contributing at DT this year. I have to wonder if the "slide him back out to DE if we need a bigger End" is legit or lip service. We've seen it before (Townley, Vilbert) and in both cases it played out more like limbo than certainty.

Franklin said clearly that White will be in the mix to still see time at DE this season when the team needs to put out a bigger DL group, meaning against teams that may try and run the ball consistently vs PSU. It will take White a good while in the S&C to truely get the size and strength to be a big factor at DT, but it seem like a nice plan for getting another older and mature DT in the mix for 2026. The expanded roster, now 105 with all being able to be on scholarship, seems to open the door for the coaches to take players they believe have the talent to contribute and work with them over time, where as the 85 scholarship limit didn't present the leeway to do as much of this.

 

[RickinDayton]

Agreed. But a lot goes into this. First, the player has to want to do this in the era of the Xfer Portal. Second, he went from ~ 250 to 275 in the off-season. As a RS Jr. he's got another year to get up into the 290 range. He's 6-5 so pushing 300 shouldn't be a problem. It can also be that the true frosh DEs are just that good. DiNardo raved about PSU's young untested DEs and passing the looks test. Called them game-ready.

White was a highly recruited 4 star who was 6-5 and 225 our of high school with an offer from Alabama. He may have seen that his future was in the past at DE.

I was thinking he was a Senior since he burned his redshirt @ A&M. Glad to hear he has another year.

 

[Sheriff Coffee]

I saw this graphic in reference to starting QBs who are returning. Obviously, DA played more games than these other QBs but you can see the stats are very positive. BTW, the kid from Rutgers is getting a lot of good press along with a WR who is expected to be really good.

 

[Sheriff Coffee]

One has to read between the lines here, but my take is this:

1. White was brought in to bolster DE depth. You have to run him the entire spring to see what you have. Between whatever portal conversations were had and navigating a new depth chart, I can see why you leave him there.

2. The move being made at this point (3 weeks prior to Nevada) tells me that White wasn't in the 3 deep at DE. At 275, the staff is guiding him towards DT. Based on his career at A&M, it might be for the best.

3. I don't think there are any expectations of him contributing at DT this year. I have to wonder if the "slide him back out to DE if we need a bigger End" is legit or lip service. We've seen it before (Townley, Vilbert) and in both cases it played out more like limbo than certainty.

Agree, but White played in Philly in High School IIRC. It may not have been working out in TX.

My second thought is that the staff probably didn't have much to go on regarding the true Frosh. DeNardo was really impressed. So if they look they can be game ready, White's only move may have been to DT where he can grow into the position, provide depth this year, and land a starting position next year if he can get up into the 290+ range.

All speculation, of course.

 

[Lazy Dave]

Franklin said clearly that White will be in the mix to still see time at DE this season when the team needs to put out a bigger DL group, meaning against teams that may try and run the ball consistently vs PSU. It will take White a good while in the S&C to truely get the size and strength to be a big factor at DT, but it seem like a nice plan for getting another older and mature DT in the mix for 2026. The expanded roster, now 105 with all being able to be on scholarship, seems to open the door for the coaches to take players they believe have the talent to contribute and work with them over time, where as the 85 scholarship limit didn't present the leeway to do as much of this.

Oh I heard him; I just believe that at this point, if he is necessary for DE vs run strong teams then just leave him there all season. If you are moving a 4th year player to DT, I would figure that you are hopeful he can gain another 10-20 lbs and perhaps retain some quickness.

Compared to how other players fared with this move, the path to playing time seems next season at best. All opinion, all reading between the lines, all assumption at this point.

 

[bdroc]

I saw this graphic in reference to starting QBs who are returning. Obviously, DA played more games than these other QBs but you can see the stats are very positive. BTW, the kid from Rutgers is getting a lot of good press along with a WR who is expected to be really good.

Allar played in the BiG title game + 3 playoff games. The other guys except for Edwards had a bowl game. 3 extra games at a mere 150 yds per game = 450 yds.

 

[Sheriff Coffee]

Allar played in the BiG title game + 3 playoff games. The other guys except for Edwards had a bowl game. 3 extra games at a mere 150 yds per game = 450 yds.

Agreed, but to be fair, none of them played against the Caliber of ND, Oregon, Boise and/or SMU. I'll also add that we had a combined 47 passing attempts between SMU and Boise.

 

[GregInPitt]

Agreed, but to be fair, none of them played against the Caliber of ND, Oregon, Boise and/or SMU. I'll also add that we had a combined 47 passing attempts between SMU and Boise.

Yep, as you said with the dominant running game to the tune of 300 yds vs Oregon and bascially blowing out SMU and Boise there wasn't much put on Allar's shoulders in a good many of those last games.

 

[Bison13]

Plus or any of those other quarterbacks getting taken out of the game regularly to put in a quarterback to run a different package of plays?

 

[Lazy Dave]

Plus or any of those other quarterbacks getting taken out of the game regularly to put in a quarterback to run a different package of plays?

Very good point. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it disrupted flow, but Allar did concede snaps to Beau for mostly Zone Read plays.

Address the main point, a lot of us get it: Allar HAS to perform better vs the best teams, but his lack of gaudy stats vs the teams we just ran all over isn't indicative of that. They are 2 separate things.

 

[bdroc]

Agreed, but to be fair, none of them played against the Caliber of ND, Oregon, Boise and/or SMU. I'll also add that we had a combined 47 passing attempts between SMU and Boise.

I agree. There are a lot of factors other than total yards passing.

 

[Sheriff Coffee]

Very good point. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it disrupted flow, but Allar did concede snaps to Beau for mostly Zone Read plays.

Address the main point, a lot of us get it: Allar HAS to perform better vs the best teams, but his lack of gaudy stats vs the teams we just ran all over isn't indicative of that. They are 2 separate things.

Yep, and often, a team that losses will have better passing stats than the winning team. For example, SMU had almost 200 yards passing while PSU had 130. Why? PSU was up 28-0 at the half and played a very conservative offense to lower the risk of turnover for more than half the game.

 

[Sheriff Coffee]

Yep, and often, a team that looses will have better passing stats than the winning team. For example, SMU had almost 200 yards passing while PSU had 130. Why? PSU was up 28-0 at the half and played a very conservative offense to lower the risk of turnover for more than half the game.

 

[ryoder1]

Oh I heard him; I just believe that at this point, if he is necessary for DE vs run strong teams then just leave him there all season. If you are moving a 4th year player to DT, I would figure that you are hopeful he can gain another 10-20 lbs and perhaps retain some quickness.

Compared to how other players fared with this move, the path to playing time seems next season at best. All opinion, all reading between the lines, all assumption at this point.

At this point this White project looks like it failed, to put it bluntly. You don't bring a 4th year guy in from the portal to move him to a new position 3 weeks before the start of the season and bury him on the depth chart if he came in and had a lot of potential or was a "hidden gem". Maybe he could play a little next year but he would still have all the young guys this year ahead of him going into the off season. Maybe he miraculously jets up the DT depth chart this season but I highly doubt it.

 

[LudicrousSpeedGO!]

At this point this White project looks like it failed, to put it bluntly. You don't bring a 4th year guy in from the portal to move him to a new position 3 weeks before the start of the season and bury him on the depth chart if he came in and had a lot of potential or was a "hidden gem". Maybe he could play a little next year but he would still have all the young guys this year ahead of him going into the off season. Maybe he miraculously jets up the DT depth chart this season but I highly doubt it.

Not all of these transfers pan out. He was a long shot IMO. If you don't cut it for 3 years at your previous school, it's likely you aren't going to be catching a hidden gem. Maybe he still pans out at DT in 2026 but if not, it was still likely worth the risk with the rosters expanding and his elite HS rankings.

 

[Lazy Dave]

At this point this White project looks like it failed, to put it bluntly. You don't bring a 4th year guy in from the portal to move him to a new position 3 weeks before the start of the season and bury him on the depth chart if he came in and had a lot of potential or was a "hidden gem".

I said it on the old board: I think this roster addition was as much about potential as it were about bringing back PA top 3 HS talents who went elsewhere.

I doubt any of us will ever know, but it's screams to me that he can't play DE for us at a high end level and perhaps the best option for him is bulk up and become a DT. Does he bulk up, perhaps work his way into that rotation? Only time will tell.

 

[bdroc]

At this point this White project looks like it failed, to put it bluntly. You don't bring a 4th year guy in from the portal to move him to a new position 3 weeks before the start of the season and bury him on the depth chart if he came in and had a lot of potential or was a "hidden gem". Maybe he could play a little next year but he would still have all the young guys this year ahead of him going into the off season. Maybe he miraculously jets up the DT depth chart this season but I highly doubt it.

I think that's a little harsh. He obviously underperformed at A&M but he contributed. PSU was willing to take a shot on him and they discovered two things: 1) He's too big to be a top DE and 2) The team is thin at DT. So give him a shot there. He'll probably be the 4th guy this year but we need a 4th guy. Next year he might start or be a key backup.