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Tony Rojas and former Cyclone Caleb Bacon are set to lead the way at linebacker for Penn State in 2026. But who might be ready to take the leap and develop into an impact player this fall?
Alex Tatsch (So.)
Tatsch was the immediate name to come to mind as a likely breakout player. He earned meaningful playing time as a true freshman, and impressed despite his lack of experience. The rising sophomore seemed to improve each with each game as he became more noticeable and found his way to the football more and more often. Tatsch contributed 14 tackles, one TFL, and a pass defended in 2025, and those numbers should greatly increase this fall.
Tatsch should also benefit from playing under D’Anton Lynn, who has done an impressive job of developing linebackers at UCLA and USC. While he may not be a week one starter with so many veteran linebackers coming from Iowa State, don’t be surprised if he snags a starting spot at some point in the season – and a very productive one at that.
Cam Smith (RS Fr.)
Smith took a redshirt season to put on weight and learn the game at the next level. We will see if that work paid off with regular playing time in 2026. Despite only playing one game, Smith caught the attention of the staff as he was named Developmental Squad Player of the Week three times, recognizing his work ethic and development. He was a top five recruit out of Pennsylvania in 2025, and was highly coveted throughout the Big Ten and SEC squads as a four-star recruit.
Early reports have been positive about Smith’s development in his second year with the program. He will certainly be a regular on special teams to start the season thanks to his physical gifts, and may be ready for a regular role at linebacker despite the infusion of talent at the position that followed Matt Campbell from Iowa State.
Chris Fileppo (So.)
Fileppo is the wildcard of the group and could be one of the more intriguing prospects heading into the season. He made his mark as a true freshman, playing in every game for West Virginia. Now he will need to prove he can make the jump from the Big 12 to the Big 10 and remain on the field.
Fileppo has experience at safety as well, which should give him a leg up with his coverage abilities. At the very least, he should be used in certain packages on likely passing downs. He also has the potential to build on a promising freshman season to make a major leap in year two.
