Is he cocky or confident? If Dani Dennis-Sutton is right, it won’t matter.
Dennis-Sutton has made three starts at defensive end heading into his junior season.
There are two good reasons for this: Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac. A pair of first-team All-Big Ten ends last season, Robinson was a 2024 first-round NFL Draft pick, and Isaac was selected in the third round.
But with those two gone, the 6-foot-5, 273-pound Dennis-Sutton sees a clear path to a prediction he made before his freshman season.
Perhaps cocky and confident? And he might be right, even with Abdul Carter, a projected first-round pick next year, starting at PSU’s other end spot.
“I would say right now, I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in, physically,” Dennis-Sutton said a few days ago. “But mentally, I’ve always spoken into existence, as far as confidence. … I really am truly confident that I’m going to be the best D-end in the country.”
Dennis-Sutton, who finished 2023 with six tackles for loss, 3 1/2 sacks, two forced fumbles, two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup, has his supporters.
Dane Brugler of The Athletic considers Dennis-Sutton, former five-star recruit, to be a top talent. Brugler recently ranked Dennis-Sutton No. 8 on his list of top 12 draft-eligible underclassmen at edge rusher. (He has Penn State’s Carter at No. 1).
And it did not take new PSU defensive coordinator Tom Allen long to realize Dennis-Sutton has rare ability.
“At his size, it’s really one of his strengths,” Allen said of Dennis-Sutton, referring to his frame. “He’s a tough matchup on all tight ends in the Big Ten. That needs to be the case. I want him to be disruptive. I want him to be absolutely a guy that they have to feel like they gotta do something to handle (him) schematically.”
Dennis-Sutton has zero regrets about the social media boast he made a couple years ago. That explains why he referenced the tweet with another tweet earlier this month.
“For me, personally, I just wanted to put that out there for myself,” Dennis-Sutton said of his 2024 double-down. “(I) have big expectations for myself, and I gotta prove it now.”
And if Dennis-Sutton is correct about prediction, or very close, the Lions could have the two best defensive ends in college football.
“I’m sure Abdul is the same as me, confident,” Dennis-Sutton said. “I think everybody should have that type of mindset: ‘I’m going to be the best player in the country.’ Abdul’s a killer. He’s been balling for the past year, so he deserves everything he gets.
“We just gotta wait for the season, I guess.”