Dani Dennis-Sutton is the latest in an impressive line of Penn State football edge rushers in the NFL Draft.
Dennis-Sutton, a physical outlier at his position, was the 20th pick in the fourth round of Saturday's 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh. The Green Bay Packers made him the 120th pick of the draft, overall.
He was the fourth Nittany Lion chosen, following Vega Ioane' to the Baltimore Ravens in the first round, Drew Allar to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Friday's third round and Drew Shelton to the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round.
Dennis-Sutton also is the sixth highly-drafted PSU pass rusher since 2020, following Yetur Gross-Matos (second round, 2020), Odafe Oweh (first, 2021), Arnold Ebiketie (second, 2022), Chop Robinson (first, 2024) and Abdul Carter (first, 2025).
Dennis-Sutton used his elite size and power and high motor to dominate at Penn State's 2025 season beginning and end − as well as in the NFL Combine testing this past winter, which helped pave his way here.
Here's what Dennis-Sutton brings to the Green Bay Packers, based on his career with the Nittany Lions:
He certainly possesses the size and strength (6-foot-6, 256 pounds) to be an immediate contributor with the ability to hold up against the run.
He's best when he combines his elite athletic skills with a high-energy, relentless pursuit effort. That may have to carry him while he refines his pure pass-rushing abilities that never quite lived up to expectations in college.
Dani Dennis-Sutton is next in a long line of a freak athlete edge defenders from Penn State https://t.co/D3i0WfuPzc pic.twitter.com/YQ17eHJpLw
Dennis-Sutton may prove to be better against the run, early on in the pros. He lacked go-to pass-rushing moves and was too easily knocked off his quarterback path.
While his power and toughness will be highly regarded, how limited will he truly be as an NFL edge rusher?
"His predictable, linear rush lacks the burst and bend to beat tackles to the top of the rush and flatten into the pocket," writes NFL.com's Lance Zierlein in his draft analysis. "He'll get bounced around because his pad level is too high, but he’s tough to finish and finds his way to the action when it’s near him. Dennis-Sutton is equipped to muddy running lanes but might not make many impact plays."
Dennis-Sutton attended the McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Maryland
Though he never lived up to his All-American publicity, he was one of the Big Ten's best and beyond when he was seemingly inspired and let loose.
He impressed as one of the few senior starters to play in Penn State's final 2025 game, the Pinstripe Bowl victory over Clemson. He dominated with two sacks. He forced three fumbles last season, and his three blocked punts tied a 36-year-old Penn State record.
He produced nearly identical defensive stats as a junior and senior, averaging 42 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks.
Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Dani Dennis-Sutton in NFL Draft, 120th pick Penn State football DE