Penn State Edge Rusher Seems Like A Todd Bowles OLB
April 20th, 2026
Penn State edge Dani Dennis-Sutton.
Remember on Thursday night when you are jumping up and down, hoping upon hope the Bucs pick Akheem Mesidor (or some other edge rusher), there’s more to the story. Picking the guy isn’t even half the battle.
Remember, Bucs coach Todd Bowles often says about edge rushers, he asks them to do other things.
(And no, Joe doesn’t expect Bowles to scrap his 34 defense this year and flip to a 43 — but he may have the players to pull that off.)
With Bowles’ philosophy in Joe’s mind, Joe was reading Bob McGinn’s breakdown on edge rushers on GoLongTD.com. A guy from Penn State jumped out at Joe because, as McGinn typed, it seems this Dani Dennis-Sutton does other things than just rush the passer.
He is lauded for his ability to drop back into coverage.
(Don’t kill the messenger.)
9. DANI DENNIS-SUTTON, Penn State (6-5 ½, 259, 4.60, 2-3): Blew out the combine with a fast 40 and edge bests in the broad jump (10-11) and 3-cone (6.90). “He’s really talented,” said one scout. “Big, strong, fast. The guy can be a starter at defensive end. If you watch him drop you’d say this guy definitely can be a starter as a 3-4 outside guy. He can be hard to coach. Kind of my way is the way.” Played extensively all four seasons, finishing with 127 tackles (34 ½ for loss), 23 ½ sacks, seven forced fumbles and eight batted passes. “He’s got personality quirks, if you want to call it that, where he kind of marches to his own drum,” a second scout said. “He’ll go two or three, probably three.” Arms were 33 ½, hands were 10 1/8. Persistent knee problems remain a concern. “There was so much hype on him two years ago,” a third scout said. “I watched him, I didn’t like him. Last year, I didn’t like him at all. This year, I thought he played a lot better. Solid player. Don’t think he’s going to be a dynamic pass rusher. I think he lived off of last year when (Abdul) Carter flushed a lot of things and he cleaned it up. This year, they had another young kid (Chaz Coleman) and he was the beneficiary of some of that. He’ll play in the league for a long time.” Four-star recruit from Millsboro, Del. Added a fourth scout: “Good speed and acceleration, very quick hands and some nice moves. Occasional starter initially and then I could see him fitting in just about any kind of defense.”
Joe’s not trying to be an a-hole. One reason the Bucs are bereft of an edge rush is exactly why Bowles explains to people he has them do other things. Joe does not expect that to change.
So if the Bucs are looking to draft a second edge rusher — Joe has zero issues with the team loading up on edge rushers and hoping by odds and simple dumb luck they might stumble upon a player.
So this Dani Dennis-Sutton sort of bristles at coaching? It would funny if Bowles told him to cover a tight end on a third down and he blew off the orders and instead sacked a quarterback, and turned to the Bucs bench hollering, “That’s how you get off the field!”
McGinn has Dennis-Sutton as his No. 9 edge rusher. Scouts McGinn talked to believe Dennis-Sutton is a second-night draft pick.
Dane Brugler of The Athletic has Dennis-Sutton as his No. 13 edge rusher in “The Beast,” also believing Dennis-Sutton is a second-night pick. CBS analyst Emory Hunt has Dennis-Sutton as his No. 6 edge rusher in his 2026 Football GamePlan Draft Guide.
Lastly, Joe asked the NFL IQ bot if Dennis-Sutton was a fit for Todd Bowles’ defense. The bot seems to think (?) Dennis-Sutton is a better fit for the Bucs than many who will be drafted ahead of him.
Bottom line: DDS is a strong schematic fit for Bowles’ defense — arguably better than some higher-drafted edge prospects who are pure speed rushers. If Tampa Bay can land him on Day 2, it could be one of the better value picks of their draft.
Gulp.
Dani Dennis-Sutton's athleticism shows up. 22.2% TPS win rate the last two years. Nasty spin move as an interior rusher and shows he can drop in coverage pic.twitter.com/JPWeydvmIM
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) February 27, 2026
April 20th, 2026 at 9:07 am
LOL!
“Seems Like A Todd Bowles OLB”
You mean he is just a guy who can get 2-3 sacks a year and cover TEs/RBs/Wrs 25-30 yards down field?
Oh goody…
Why not just make a trade with the Eagles for JTS?
Hopefully it won’t cost us another 1st round pick.
LOL!!!!!!
April 20th, 2026 at 9:10 am
My point is this – the Bucs already have (6) mediocre OLBs on this roster…
Do we really need another one?
Come on man!
April 20th, 2026 at 9:16 am
Comon Joe, LOL
April 20th, 2026 at 9:24 am
If he is hard to coach, he’ll fall. Far.
April 20th, 2026 at 9:26 am
Marine hit it on the head lol….
bowles has said himself his defense ask edge players to do “a number of things” outside of just rushing the passer lol….
bowles likes to manufacture own sacks lol….thats what got him the defensive guru label lol
GO BUCS!!!!
April 20th, 2026 at 9:32 am
You all beat me to it. They can’t sack the QB, or cover in the flat. Joe just keeps serving up easy pitches across the plate.
April 20th, 2026 at 9:36 am
JL shouldn’t draft for Bowles, who is more likely to be axed after this year than come back in 2027.
Draft good football players regardless of Bowles ridiculous scheme that only confuses his own players.
Man thos franchise really had a moment and that was the moment they let a young offensive wizard walk out the door and kept an old crusty Bowles. Haunting moment for those franchise.
April 20th, 2026 at 9:41 am
OLB are not Edge Rushers
They are Linebackers that set the edge, play in space, drop in coverage
In a 3-4 hybrid defense, on most plays, one OLB rush the passer
The other OLB has to do other things
He has to perform like a 4-3 weakside LB
Your goal is to pressure the QB
I don’t know why people think it has to come strictly from OLB
That don’t make sense
April 20th, 2026 at 9:48 am
The Tampa Bay Bucs are the 7th ranked defense in Sacks during the last 5 years
The have 223 sacks during that time, which only 6 teams has more
So they are a Top Tier pass rushing team
The problem isn’t a lack of pass rush
The problem is too many soft players on the defense
The offense has the same problem
Too many soft players on the offense as well
April 20th, 2026 at 9:49 am
Would be even funnier if he hollered “You like that!”
April 20th, 2026 at 9:51 am
Why switch to 4-3 from 3-4 when Todd’s defense has been so successful?
April 20th, 2026 at 9:52 am
Nice speed, size & motor. A nice day two pickup. Trading back and picking up an extra 2nd would give Licht a ton of options. Hope he’s able to swing a deal.
April 20th, 2026 at 10:09 am
Lakeland Says:
April 20th, 2026 at 9:41 am
In a 3-4 hybrid defense, on most plays, one OLB rush the passer
The other OLB has to do other things
it seems as if both OLBs are doing other things and neither is getting after the QB consistently…
but yeah we have too many nice guys on the team especially on the LOS…we havent replaced Suh’s and Jensen’s nastiness in the trenches
GO BUCS!!!!
April 20th, 2026 at 10:27 am
Last year we got a total of 10 sacks from our defensive front
In 2024, we got a total of 23 sacks from our defensive front
And the slide started when Kancey went down
We were forced to play Elijah Roberts, he wasn’t ready, and undersized
April 20th, 2026 at 10:30 am
Thanks, Joe. You just ruined my appetite.
April 20th, 2026 at 10:31 am
When your defensive front goes from 23 sacks in 2024
To a mere 10 sacks in 2025, it affects the entire defense
It has the same effect as a strong run game in 2024
To a non-existent run game in 2025
April 20th, 2026 at 10:33 am
Actually, I knew what the article was going to say before I tried to read it. Didn’t make it past the first 2 or 3 sentences. Not interested in the rest. I’m pretty sure you meant as a joke. I’m not laughing.
April 20th, 2026 at 10:36 am
Bucs get a fair number of sacks, but ONLY when they blitz, which leads us to m to mediocre Kirk Cousins throwing for 509 yards
April 20th, 2026 at 10:43 am
Dennis -Sutton will be an welcome addition to our defensive front 7
His teammate Zane Durant will fit nicely also
They come from a program that prioritize defense
And he has the skills, athleticsm, football IQ to excel in this defense
April 20th, 2026 at 10:45 am
They could do a lot worse than drafting this guy
April 20th, 2026 at 10:50 am
Great. So he can be beaten by half a football field in coverage, get swallowed up by a WR on a pass rush, whiff on tackles, get run over by a running back, but at least he can jump offsides on 4th and 2 to give up a first down.
A Todd Bowles kind of player for sure.
April 20th, 2026 at 11:07 am
3.28.Evans Says:
April 20th, 2026 at 10:50 am
Great. So he can be beaten by half a football field in coverage, get swallowed up by a WR on a pass rush, whiff on tackles, get run over by a running back, but at least he can jump offsides on 4th and 2 to give up a first down.
A Todd Bowles kind of player for sure.
+++++++++++++++
Yup – iit’s Aqualung…..
April 20th, 2026 at 11:10 am
FINALLY!!!!
I’ve been writing about this guys since Oregon played PSU.
DDS is a HUGE PROBLEM FOR OFFENSES!!!!
He’s got a ferocious attitude. He’s long-fast-strong. He has moves and counter moves. He’s JPP v2.
My favorite pick in the draft.
April 20th, 2026 at 11:28 am
Lakeland nailed it
We are top 10 in sacks the last 5 years.
Not as bad as you guys think.
April 20th, 2026 at 11:33 am
Teacherman Says:
April 20th, 2026 at 11:28 am
Lakeland nailed it
We are top 10 in sacks the last 5 years.
Not as bad as you guys think.
^^^^^^^^
We watch the games. We’ve watched guys like Kirk Cousins shred the Bucs. So yeah, it’s as bad as we think, especially over the last 2 years.
April 20th, 2026 at 11:36 am
Teacherman,
Bucs fans think you need a double digit sack artist
What you need is sacks coming from 7-8 players
That’s what confuses an offensive coordinator and QB
They can scheme around the double digits sack guy
But they can’t scheme around the 7- 8 guys that rushes every game
April 20th, 2026 at 11:38 am
Looking back at the Penn state Olbs these last two drafts. None have really made an impact yet. Carter had 4 sacks, Chop flashed but regressed and Issac did nothing.
April 20th, 2026 at 11:40 am
Every time Kirk Cousins shredded our defense
Our offense failed to close the show against the Falcons
They always disappear in the clutch, with turnovers or punts
April 20th, 2026 at 11:44 am
Interesting.
I’m sure the competition in that video package wasn’t top tier but that looked like a guy who knows how to get the QB. Looked to have the speed, power and moves that few others I have watched have.
April 20th, 2026 at 11:46 am
Carter has a lot of pressures and hurries
I think Carter will be an All- Pro eventually
April 20th, 2026 at 11:46 am
Lord knows we need a good QB spy facing Bryce Young and Shough twice a year…
April 20th, 2026 at 11:48 am
Carter had more pressures and hurries than Brian Burns
But Brian Burns was getting the Sacks
Eventually Carter will get the Sacks
April 20th, 2026 at 11:54 am
Yeah don’t fix anything. Just keep the same tired scheme going.
SB bound!
April 20th, 2026 at 12:00 pm
This guy is an athletic freak. Some of the best numbers ever for DE. Sounds like it’s right up Lichts alley. We see how most of those turned out. Only good one has been Yaya
April 20th, 2026 at 12:00 pm
Lakeland Says:
April 20th, 2026 at 11:40 am
Every time Kirk Cousins shredded our defense
Our offense failed to close the show against the Falcons
They always disappear in the clutch, with turnovers or punts
^^^^^^^^^^
Yes, 3rd and 28 and 4th and 14 was the fault of the Bucs offense. Right?
April 20th, 2026 at 12:17 pm
I love the comments of “I didn’t like him at all…” and him being a Todd Bowles guy… Sure, why not? lol
April 20th, 2026 at 12:42 pm
So Kirk Cousins, who isn’t a Top 40 QB against anybody else in the NFL, shreds Todd Bowles defense for 2 years straight…Bowles couldn’t even figure out a way to even slow Cousins down (along with other subpar QB’s the last 2 years). There’s 3 explanations:
1) Bowles is an AWFUL DC
2) Bowles is Cousins agent
3) Bowles had Cousins as his starting QB in fantasy football
None of these are good.
April 20th, 2026 at 12:46 pm
“(And no, Joe doesn’t expect Bowles to scrap his 34 defense this year and flip to a 43 — but he may have the players to pull that off.)”
Todd MUST do something different this year. My ponderings and musings elucidate that maybe a 43 D will have the players playing faster, and Todd will play a more basic and easy to understand D – for the players.
Enough with the genius stuff! Line up, beat your man at LOS and tackle the ballcarrier. Besides, the word “exotic blitz” really only applies to hitting the beach in a Caribbean resort.
To Coach Bowles: KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid!!!
April 20th, 2026 at 1:09 pm
As bad as Bowles is as a HC and DC the defense, his offenses never help out.
The defense kept it any 8 pt game in the 4th qtr, in Detroit 3 yrs ago and that was too much to overcome. The defense had a goal line stand against Washington then the offense turned the ball over in Bucs territory. Then on the offenses final drive couldn’t score in the redzone with a healthy Evans and healthy OL. And we all saw the offensive collapse during the last 9 games of 2025.
If the defense doesn’t hold teams to 10 points, its like the Bucs are destined to lose. The offense rarely blows out teams, or has a comfortable lead in the 4th.
The offense needs just as much scrutiny as the defense…more actually since this team has trouble scoring in the 4th quarter in November and December, every season under Bowles.
April 20th, 2026 at 1:21 pm
Bee: The time period when Bowles was “helping out” the offense? Care to guess why they scored less?
April 20th, 2026 at 1:46 pm
Haven’t we had enough of the Dennises?
April 20th, 2026 at 1:53 pm
Smoke Porterhouse
They scored less due to poor execution, specifically at the QB position. I think both of our points are true at the same time. Bowles offensive suggestions, plus the execution in all three was bad. My god….another season of Deja Vu coming up…
April 20th, 2026 at 2:38 pm
Bee: Yes, bad QB play, too.
April 20th, 2026 at 4:12 pm
This D needs “difference makers” … Short of that, it will be a long season for us fans! The first 2 or 3 players should be best available defensive ones that fit Bowles scheme! They really need to start and make this defense way better when on the field!
April 20th, 2026 at 7:05 pm
Good Lord for the life of me..
Todd Bowles drafts for his scheme, not for dominance and it shows. Too much blitzing, not enough real edge pressure.
A Penn State OLB like Abdul Carter feels like another tweener who won’t become a true difference-maker. We need dogs off the edge, not hybrids.
Joe, please step in.
April 20th, 2026 at 7:09 pm
^ DANI DENNIS-SUTTON, Penn State not Carter
April 20th, 2026 at 11:05 pm
“Picking a guy isn’t even half the battle”
Well there you go.
Bowles gotta go.
April 21st, 2026 at 12:01 am
Reminder.
The dude holding two full time jobs at the same time and reporting to himself has 5 losing seasons out of 8. Overall including playoff failures, 62-77.
10 wins is his max.
Two 8-9 seasons with Bucs including the only losing season in Tom Brady’s whole life.
At least his specialty and reputed genius is for an inept defense that busts assignments more regularly than dishes in a kitchen of spastics. Can’t hold a lead or close out a game. It sucks.
And that’s being nice.
April 21st, 2026 at 7:31 am
If hes a Todd Bowles OLB/EDGE does that mean we DONT want to take him LOLOL. If the goals 4 sacks a year hell be a slam dunk
April 21st, 2026 at 9:22 am
5 words for you. NOT IN HIS PLAY BOOK , which he should’ve turned in at the end of last season. He has not developed one player because he hires coaches who shouldn’t be and guys don’t get to do the job they’ve trained in college.
April 21st, 2026 at 12:14 pm
A guy who ignores everything Bowles tells him might be just the edge rusher we’re looking for.
April 21st, 2026 at 1:20 pm
Irish, LOL I think Joe was making that point with tongue half in cheek. I like it!
It’s the problem that many Pollyannas simply pretend doesn’t exist.