Who are Penn State’s best defensive tackles of the last quarter century? How our panel voted

Our summer series ranking the best Penn State football players of the last quarter century is continuing on the defensive side of the ball with the anchors of the D-line — the defensive tackles.

As a reminder, we reached out to eight Penn State beat writers to form a panel of voters who have determined the best Nittany Lions at each position since the 2000 season, along with the top 10 offensive and defensive players overall, based on their stats, accomplishments and the eye test.

That panel is made up of: Neil Rudel (Altoona Mirror), Rich Scarcella (Reading Eagle), Audrey Snyder (The Nittany Dispatch), Mark Brennan (Lions247), Mark Wogenrich (Penn State on SI), Frank Bodani (York Daily Record), Daniel Gallen (Lions247), Johnny McGonigal (PennLive), Josh Moyer (Centre Daily Times) and Jon Sauber (Centre Daily Times).

Let’s look at the 10 best defensive tackles of the last 25 seasons.

Note: All stats and years played are from 2000 and beyond unless otherwise noted. First-place votes are in parentheses for players with a high rank of one.

10. Zane Durant

High rank: 4 | Low rank: NR | Average rank: 9.2

Years played: 2022-present

Stats: 64 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 6 sacks

Durant has a very good chance of skyrocketing up this list if he meets — or exceeds — the expectations many have for him this year. He’s slightly undersized at a listed 6-foot-1, but makes up for it with elite athleticism and power. Durant is an elite pass rusher for a defensive tackle and has been a menace from the interior for the Penn State defensive line. He’s continually improved as a run defender and has a chance to become elite in that regard this season. While the resume isn’t as impressive for the two-time All-Big Ten honorable mention, the on-field ceiling could be as high as any player on this list.

9. DaQuan Jones

High rank: 7 | Low rank: NR | Average rank: 8.6

Years played: 2011-2013

Stats: 86 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks

Jones had a quality career, but his breakout senior season is what earns him a spot on this list. The former Nittany Lion made 12 of his 14 tackles for loss that season, including three of his 3.5 career sacks. His performance in a difficult season for Penn State stood out and earned him a nomination as the team’s nominee for Chicago Tribune Silver Football as its MVP. He was also an All-Big Ten first team member that year and ultimately went in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

8. Anthony Adams

High rank: 2 | Low rank: NR | Average rank: 8.3

Years played: 2000-2002

Stats: 162 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles

Adams has become a social media star following his playing career, but “Spice” was a high-level defensive tackle long before he was popular on the internet. Just ask Mark Brennan, who said “Spice Adams is one of the more underrated DTs in program history.” Adams was a two-time All-Big Ten honorable mention, piling up 32 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks from 2000 on. He added four pass deflections in 2002 to show how disruptive he could be to an offense and his ability to make plays helped earn him a ranking as high as two from our panel.

7. Austin Johnson

High rank: 4 | Low rank: NR | Average rank: 7.4

Years played: 2013-2015

Stats: 154 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble

Like many on this list, Johnson was a breakout player in his final season on campus. He was an All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2014 when he had 49 tackles, six tackles for loss and a sack, but took off in 2015. He racked up 6.5 sacks that year with 15 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery that he returned 71 yards for a touchdown. His stellar play earned him a second team All-Big Ten selection that season, before he went in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

6. Anthony Zettel

High rank: 2 | Low rank: 10 | Average rank: 6.1

Years played: 2012-2015

Stats: 120 tackles, 38 tackles for loss, 20 sacks, 2 forced fumbles

Had Zettel played his entire career at defensive tackle, he may be higher on this list. He lined up there and at defensive end throughout his career and ultimately played his final season on the inside. His 20 sacks are the most of any player on this list and tie him for 10th in program history, and he was able to accrue at least four sacks in all four seasons he played as a Nittany Lion. Zettel was a two-time All-Big Ten selection, making the first team in 2014 when he had eight sacks and the third team in 2015 when he had four. He was an athletic marvel who excelled all across the defensive line in his four seasons at Penn State.

5. Jordan Hill

High rank: 3 | Low rank: NR | Average rank: 6

Years played: 2011-2012

Stats: 123 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 8 sacks, 2 forced fumbles

Hill doesn’t have the numbers some others do on this list, but he does have the accolades. He was disruptive in the passing game, earning 3.5 sacks in 2011 and 4.5 sacks in 2012 from the interior, and a quality run defender. His play in 2012, when he also had nine tackles for loss, an interception and a forced fumble, earned him second team All-American and first team All-Big Ten honors a year after he was named an All-Big Ten honorable mention. Hill didn’t have a long Penn State career, with only two years of contributing on the field, but he was one of only five to earn All-American honors on this least.

4. Jay Alford

High rank: 4 | Low rank: 8 | Average rank: 5.3

Years played: 2003-2006

Stats: 118 tackles, 33 tackles for loss, 19 sacks, 3 forced fumbles

Alford was a part of some elite defenses, including the 2005 team that went on to win the Orange Bowl over Florida State. That year he was a second team All-Big Ten selection, a feat he repeated in 2006. That year, his last at Penn State, he led the team with eight sacks, dominating from the interior. His performance earned him third team All-American honors for that season and got him to 19 career sacks — tying him for 12th in program history.

3. Devon Still

High rank: 2 | Low rank: NR | Average rank: 3.8

Years played: 2009-2011

Stats: 113 tackles, 33 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble

Few defensive tackles in Penn State history can match the 2011 season Still had. The defensive tackle had 17 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble to dominate for a high-level defense. His performance that season led to him getting earning the 2011 Nagurski-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award, the Smith-Brown Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year award, a first team All-Big Ten selection and a first team All-American spot. Still was also a finalist for national awards that season, giving him one of the most decorated single seasons for any defensive tackle in Nittany Lion history.

2. Jimmy Kennedy

High rank: 1 (5) | Low rank: 6 | Average rank: 2.4

Years played: 2000-2002

Stats: 180 tackles, 33 tackles for loss, 13 sacks

Kennedy played before 2000, but his play from that year on was still enough to earn half of the first-place votes from our panel. He was elite in both 2001 and 2002 when he earned first team All-Big Ten honors, but the latter year was when he was at his best. Kennedy earned first team All-American honors with 16 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks that season and was named the Big Ten’s defensive lineman of the year. His four sacks against Wisconsin that season remains tied for the most in any game by a player in program history.

1. Jared Odrick

High rank: 1 (5) | Low rank: 2 | Average rank: 1.5

Years played: 2006-2009

Stats: 104 tackles, 26 tackles for loss, 14..5 sacks, 1 forced fumble

While Odrick split the first-place votes with Kennnedy, he was the only player on this list that was either first or second on every ballot — and for good reason. He, like Kennedy, was elite for two seasons and was one of the best defensive tackles in the country. Odrick was the 2009 Nagurski-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and the 2009 Smith-Brown Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year along with being a first team All-American. He was an All-Big Ten first team member in both 2008 and 2009 and led the team in sacks in 2009 with seven. Brennan put it succinctly — and best — when it comes to the defensive tackle rankings.

“Odrick is the man.”

This story was originally published July 14, 2025 at 6:20 AM.