Returning Penn State star billed as 2027 NFL Draft breakout candidate

Heading into a 2026 season expected to bring a ton of chaos for Penn State — a school welcoming a new coach and a roster that is filled with transfer players — there are still a few pillars of stability. One of them is linebacker Tony Rojas, who looked primed to have an incredible year in 2025 before a torn ACL ended his season.

>The redshirt junior is beginning his fourth, and likely his last, season with the Nittany Lions, and will be looking to solidify or improve his draft stock. Rojas is arguably the most talented player on the team, and Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report believes a strong campaign will help him.

>“{Rojas} should be able to solidify himself as a Day 2 selection with another statistically impressive campaign and by proving that he’s back to pre-injury form,” Knox said.

>Torn ACLs typically take between six months and a year to fully heal, so the former four-star recruit should be nearing a complete recovery by the time the season begins. Extrapolated out to a full season of games, Rojas was on pace to record 75 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks last season.

>Even if he doesn’t reach those in 2026, getting close to those numbers and playing a full season will certainly improve his draft stock. We should see Rojas back on the field in a few weeks when the Nittany Lions begin their ramp-up for the regular season.

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>This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Returning Penn State star billed as 2027 NFL Draft breakout candidate