NFL Draft Profile | Dani Dennis-Sutton

A good defense is a huge part to the success of any football team. And for three years of Dani Dennis-Sutton’s college career, that’s just what Penn State had. And Dennis-Sutton was a cornerstone of the success of those defenses.

Penn State has had a rich history of getting talented players from the DMV area. And Dennis-Sutton is among the best of them all. Hailing from Owings Mills, Maryland, Dennis-Sutton was a five star recruit in the class of 2022. Additionally, he was Maryland’s top ranked player that year, the No.7 defensive lineman in the entire class and the No.28 ranked player in the class.

From year one, Dennis-Sutton showed major promise. At the conclusion of his freshman season, Dennis-Sutton began showcasing his skillset on opposing offenses with 17 total tackles, three sacks and one pass deflection. These numbers helped him earn ESPN.com True Freshman All-American honors.

After a slightly better sophomore season, Dennis-Sutton put up nearly identical numbers in his junior and senior campaigns. In both seasons, he had 42 total tackles, 8.5 sacks, and three pass deflections; career highs in all categories. In 2025, he had 3 forced fumbles which was not only one more than the year prior, but it was also a career high. But, unlike 2024, Dennis-Sutton wasn’t playing opposite star edge rusher Abdul Carter, who was the top priority for opposing offenses. 

By the end of his career at Penn State, scouts knew that Dennis-Sutton had the potential to wreak havoc in the NFL. 

At the combine, Dennis-Sutton showed off his freakish athletic ability. He posted a 4.63 in the 40-Yard Dash, 1.63 in the 10-Yard Split, a 39.5” Vertical Jump, a 10’11” Broad Jump and a 6.9 in the 3-Cone Drill. And he did all of this at 6’5 ⅝” and 256lbs.

During an interview following Penn State’s Pro Day, Dennis-Sutton noted that the primary reason that he participated at the combine was “to compete against, supposedly, the other top athletes and other top ends.”

That competitive nature is something that doesn’t go unnoticed with his play. NFL scouts have praised Dennis-Sutton’s ability to fight through major contact and adjust to different blocks and cutbacks from the ball carrier.

But, Dennis-Sutton thinks there is even more to his game. At the combine, he told the media that with his speed “get off is the key” and that the speed from the snap of the ball is the most important factor when looking to make plays behind the line of scrimmage. 

Dennis-Sutton is projected by many to be taken in the third round.

Local fans are excited about the possibility of Dennis-Sutton staying in Pennsylvania, with his name frequently linked to the Philadelphia Eagles. 

The Eagles already have great interior defensive linemen with Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis. But, Dennis-Sutton, who has excelled at the defensive end position during college, also has the ability to play outside linebacker and drop into coverage while providing elite burst off the edge.