The BSD staff recently voted for the top 10 Penn State players heading into 2026. The votes are dictated by how the players are expected to perform in the upcoming season, without factoring in long-term or NFL potential. Each member submitted a ballot with players ranked 1-10, with a first-place vote being 10 points, a second-place vote worth nine points, and so on. Up next is linebacker Tony Rojas.
How He Got Here
Rojas committed to Penn State in July of 2022 and, despite some post-James Franklin transfer portal drama, has remained with the Nittany Lions ever since. The Fairfax, Virginia, native was a four-star recruit and considered a top-10 linebacker in his class.
The linebacker appeared in all 13 games as a true freshman before earning a full-fledged starting role in 2023. Rojas had a breakout sophomore season, earning all-Big Ten honorable mentions and starring in Penn State’s first playoff game against SMU. He was poised for a monster junior campaign before suffering a knee injury against Oregon, ending his season after just four games.
What to Expect in 2026
Anyone else sometimes hear “Rojas….Rrrrroling” faintly in the back of their head while trying to fall asleep? It’s hard to get that image out of your brain while imagining what sort of season Rojas will have in 2026. Matt Campbell said Thursday that his potential is “unlimited,” and it’s hard to dispute that. But, how far can the knee take him?
Rojas is still in the recovery period of an ACL injury but is expected to be at full speed by week one. The flashes he showed at the beginning of last year were enough to earn him a No. 1 spot in our pre-season rankings, but recovery from injury can be fickle and non-linear. Regardless of his on-field success, Rojas will undoubtedly be an extremely important figure in the locker room this season, and Campbell is lucky to retain him as a leader.
