STATE COLLEGE — He is not just any young defensive player at Penn State.
LaVar Arrington II is the son of Nittany Lions great LaVar Arrington, a dominant force at linebacker who was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft.
The older Arrington is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
The 6-foot-3, 216-pound Arrington, a four-star signee in PSU’s 2025 recruiting class, began his career at linebacker. He appeared in seven games last season.
Coach Matt Campbell and his defensive coaches are looking at Arrington, a sophomore, as more of a hybrid player this spring. He is currently listed as a defensive end.
Typically, edge rushers can’t play in the Big Ten at 216 pounds.
But Campbell believes Arrington is different.
“I think what I love about LaVar, you know, I got to watch, I don’t know, four or five bowl practices, and you got to watch his reps, and then you’ll watch him in his special teams reps last year,” Campbell said when asked Tuesday about Arrington’s offseason progress and his weight.
“You watch him run down on kickoff, and some of the plays he makes, he’s explosive and he’s dynamic. His first couple steps are, you know, what I would say are, like, ‘wow’ moments.”
Campbell also stressed that Arrington’s strength is a big asset.
“I think what’s deceiving with LaVar is, he is so strong,” Campbell said. “You know, he’s violent through his hips. He’s got great hands, and so, I think finding that right weight will be really critical. I think there’s a lot of things he can do to help our football team right away.
“I’m a guy that’s always going to move guys around, because I’m trying to figure out, how can I help them, help the football team, and certainly help themselves as fast as they possibly can.”