Recapping Penn State DE Dani Dennis-Sutton's path to the Nittany Lions

Mug-Shot 4x4by:Ryan Snyder•02/14/22•

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Penn State fans, the following story will appear in Blue White Illustrated’s upcoming Class of 2022 recruiting magazine. It mails Feb. 25 and features over 70 pages of analysis, bios and superlatives on the most recent class. To order, go to BlueWhiteOnline.com.

You won’t find a commitment that was more celebrated by Penn State fans in 2022 then defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton.

Leading up to his decision, which took place July 22, the On3 Consensus five-star may have been the most talked about prospect since linebacker Micah Parsons back in 2018. Yes, the excitement surrounding his recruitment surpassed both quarterback Drew Allar and running back Nick Singleton. It wasn’t particularly close either. 

A recruiting battle with Alabama and Georgia was a major reason why. Arguably the two best programs in all of college football currently, it’s not often that Penn State’s coaching staff is able to beat out both Kirby Smart and Nick Saban. Sure, they’ve landed players who have earned offers from both schools, but when those programs are pushing hard at the very end, they usually end up with the player they’re pursuing.

Not this time.

Let’s start by rewinding to the beginning of June, about seven weeks before Dennis-Sutton would announce his eventual decision. The NCAA’s pandemic initiated dead period had just ended, and schools all across the country were pushing to get Dennis-Sutton on campus. By this time, the Millsboro, Del., native had already narrowed his list to Penn State and the two SEC powers, but that didn’t stop schools like Ohio State from trying to get a foot in the door late. For once, the Buckeyes didn’t get their way.

He would end up going to Alabama first, officially visiting June 4-6. Trips to Penn State and Georgia then came in the two weekends that followed. By the time Dennis-Sutton was done, it was clear that Georgia was Penn State’s primary competitor. 

Leading up to that point, Franklin and his staff had held the lead in this recruitment for nearly two years, as Penn State was the only school Dennis-Sutton visited before on-campus recruiting was halted. Once he saw Georgia though, it gave him a lot to think about.

“If you’ve never seen the facilities at Georgia and just the overall support down there, I would tell anyone to go check it out,” Dennis-Sutton said in an interview a few weeks after he visited. “It’s incredible what they’ve built down there. I don’t know how anyone could go visit Georgia and not be impressed.”

By mid-July, this decision had become incredibly stressful for Dennis-Sutton. On one hand, he had a relationship with Penn State that went back to his freshman year. Between assistant coaches John Scott, Ty Howle and Brent Pry, plus recruiting coordinator Kenny Sanders, who attended the same school as Dennis-Sutton, McDonogh in Owings Mills, Md., he had forged a relationship that was unmatched. 

On the other hand, he had a real opportunity to join the eventual national champion. 

Most players in his position end up picking Georgia in today’s recruiting climate. However, Dennis-Sutton isn’t like most other teenage athletes. For him, this decision was about much more than just wins on the field.

“I genuinely love Penn State,” Dennis-Sutton said. “It’s not just about Coach Franklin and all the coaches there, who I also love. For me, I love the atmosphere, the community, the people. I love it all and that’s what’s important to me. That’s why I came to Penn State.”

One stressful moment unfortunately led to another for Dennis-Sutton. After committing at the end of July, he went into preseason preparing to play his first season since 2019, as McDonogh elected not to play in 2020 because of the pandemic. Unfortunately, during a preseason game, Dennis-Sutton broke his elbow when it hit a teammates’ helmet. For a player who had never been injured before, it felt like a major blow, especially considering the year before.

Dennis-Sutton tried to give it a go about six weeks later, but realized quickly that he still wasn’t 100 percent. He would sit out two more weeks before returning against Loyola Blakefield on Oct. 9. McDonogh was 2-4 at the time.

When Dennis-Sutton did return he shined individually, totaling seven sacks. His impact and leadership also helped McDonogh win four of its final five games, earning the Eagles a playoff spot. McDonough then upset Archbishop Spalding 7-0 in the semifinals. It felt like a memorable championship was on the way, but they ultimately fell short in the MIAA A Conference championship, losing to Calvert Hall, 14-8.

“Of course, we were bummed out to lose the championship game after such an incredible comeback,” Dennis-Sutton said. “No one had us in the championship game. I don’t even think we believed that was possible, so I was still really proud of my guys. It felt great finally getting back out on the field with my teammates.”

Dennis-Sutton wasn’t able to enroll at Penn State early – McDonogh doesn’t allow it – but that did give him an opportunity to play in not one, but two nationally recognized all-star games: the All-American Bowl in San Antonio and the Polynesian Bowl in Honolulu, Hawaii. 

As expected, Dennis-Sutton shined in both, ultimately earning five-star ratings from both On3 and 247Sports following the two games. That moved him up to No. 23 in the On3 Consensus Player Rankings, making Dennis-Sutton the highest-ranked player in the class.

“His showing at the All-American Bowl validated our thoughts and raised his rankings ceiling a bit,” said On3 Director of Scouting Charles Power.

“Dennis-Sutton more or less had his way with offensive tackles all week, first dominating 1-on-1 drills then making several plays during the game. He did similar at the Polynesian Bowl on Saturday. Dennis-Sutton’s speed-to-power as a pass rusher, paired with his ready-made size and top notch motor, make him one of the better EDGE prospects in our eyes and ultimately an easy call as a five-star prospect.”

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