Posted by Kevin Weidl
The Penn State defense is an underrated unit that has not gotten a lot of publicity, but the Nittany Lions lead the Big Ten in total defense (254.8 yards per game) and scoring defense (9.3 points per game) thanks in large part to a pair of second-round prospects.
Injury cost OLB
Sean Lee three games this season but Lee showed in last week's 12-tackle performance against Northwestern that he is back to 100 percent. He was extremely disruptive throughout the game, displaying tremendous instincts, getting good jumps on the ball and taking good angles. Lee also has elite point-of-attack skills with his ability to remain strong and stout in the hips, and take on and shed blockers with his hands.
He is also a strong tackler, a heavy hitter who stops ball carriers and does a good job bringing them to the ground. He is not an explosive, run-through tackler but some scouts we've talked to say he is a bigger, stronger version of former Nittany Lions second-rounder
Paul Posluszny.
For a look at the rest of Lee's skill set and which of his defensive mates has stepped up in a big way, as well as a breakdown of the top offensive line prospects on the board, a pass-catching tight end and a pair of struggling quarterbacks, become an ESPN Insider.
