It’s been a good year for Penn State’s defensive ends. Both Shaka Toney and Jayson Oweh have been selected as first-team All-Big Ten by the coaches. The coaches also selected safety Jaquan Brisker as a third-team All-Big Ten honoree.
The media saw things slightly different, with Toney remaining as a first-team selection but Oweh being named second-team. The media honored safety Lamont Wade and cornerback Joey Porter Jr. as third-team picks. The honor for Porter Jr. is especially impressive, considering he is in his first year of eligibility.
Toney leads the team with four sacks, and is tied with Oweh with 6.5 TFLs. Toney is also credited with 25 tackles and a forced fumble. Oweh is fourth on the team with 38 tackles, which leads the way for defensive linemen.
Brisker, who is coming off the best game of his career against Michigan State, is third on the team with 50 tackles, just four behind team-leader Ellis Brooks. He also has three TFLs, two quarterback hurries and leads the team with five pass breakups. Wade is ranked fifth on the team with 36 tackles, and produced three turnovers this season with two fumble recoveries and an interception. Porter ranked sixth with 33 tackles, and had two TFLs, a sack and was second on the team with four pass breakups.
No Nittany Lions were selected for individual honors, which can be seen below:
Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year: Daviyon Nixon, Iowa
Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year: Brandon Joseph, Northwestern
Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year: Daviyon Nixon, Iowa (Named for Michigan State’s Bubba Smith and Penn State’s Courtney Brown)
Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year: Paddy Fisher, Northwestern
Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year: Shaun Wade, Ohio State