Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Anthony Zettel was one of the last Joe Paterno commits to wear a Penn State uniform, and he’ll forever be one of the funnest Nittany Lions to cover. He came to Happy Valley over offers from in-state schools Michigan and Michigan State, and though it took him a few years to crack the starting lineup at the talent-rich defensive line position, once Zettel made the switch from defensive end under Bill O’Brien and his coordinators to defensive tackle under James Franklin’s then-coordinator Bob Shoop, he shone.
As a redshirt junior in 2014, coming out of nowhere and completely under the radar, Zettel was a consensus All-Big Ten d-tackle, leading the team in sacks and interceptions. After deciding not to leave Happy Valley early, Zettel returned for his redshirt senior season alongside fellow defensive tackle Austin Johnson, and because he was no longer and unknown and fought double teams most of the year, his production his final year somewhat dipped–freeing up teammate Carl Nassib to become the breakout player of the team, if not the league and the nation.
Even though his production dipped numbers-wise, Zettel was a very, very good defensive tackle in 2015, finishing the season with 47 tackles (20 solo), 11 for loss, and 4 sacks, all while fighting through the grief of losing his father mid-season. As the quintessential “tweener” defensive lineman, he was drafted in the 6th round by the Detroit Lions (202nd overall–lower than many projected), who will most likely shift him back to the end position.
Many Lions fans are excited about this prospect–and if Zettel’s history is any indicator, he’ll be good at proving doubters wrong.