At Penn State, the torch is passed quickly. Identify the lineage: Yetur Gross-Matos -> Odafe Oweh -> Arnold Ebiketie -> Chop Robinson -> Abdul Carter.
The next name on that list is Max Granville.
The sophomore from Texas burned his redshirt midway through the 2025 season, and the flashes were blinding. Now, he enters 2026 as the primary pass rusher.
The Scouting Report: Elite Bend
What makes Granville special isn’t power (yet); it’s flexibility.
- The “Dip”: Granville can lower his shoulder pads under an offensive tackle’s hands while maintaining full speed. This “bend” is the most coveted trait in pass rushing.
- Speed to Power: Even at 240 lbs, he showed the ability to convert speed into power against Big Ten tackles late in the year.
2025 Flash Production
In limited snaps:
- Sacks: 2.0
- Pressures: 12
- games: 7
2026 Outlook: Double Digit Sacks?
Defensive Coordinator Tyson Veidt loves aggressive edge play.
- Role: Weakside Defensive End (The “Leo” spot).
- Expectation: Granville will be asked to simply “go get the quarterback.” He won’t be asked to drop into coverage often.
Antigravity’s Projection:
- Sacks: 8.5
- Tackles for Loss: 12.0
- Result: Third-Team All-Big Ten.
The Verdict
Max Granville is raw, but his ceiling is higher than anyone else in the defensive end room. He is the X-factor for the 2026 defense. If he can turn those “flashes” into consistency, the Nittany Lions’ pass rush won’t miss a beat.