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Penn State Football: Top 10 players in program history

By Zac Voynow

GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 30: Running back Saquon Barkley #26 of the Penn State Nittany Lions walks on the field during the first half of the Playstation Fiesta Bowl against the Washington Huskies at University of Phoenix Stadium on December 30, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - DECEMBER 30: Running back Saquon Barkley #26 of the Penn State Nittany Lions walks on the field during the first half of the Playstation Fiesta Bowl against the Washington Huskies at University of Phoenix Stadium on December 30, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny during the 2007 Outback Bowl between Penn State and Tennessee at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on January 1, 2007. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images)
Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny during the 2007 Outback Bowl between Penn State and Tennessee at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on January 1, 2007. (Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images) /

5. Paul Posluszny, Linebacker

Paul Posluszny played for Penn State from 2003-06 and he was the poster child for “Linebacker U” — he embodied everything Penn State football and Joe Paterno stood for. He was a hard working, talented linebacker that left it all on the field. He was as dominant a player as Penn State has ever had come through the program.

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Posluszny had three 100-plus tackle seasons while at Penn State. He was a two-time first team All-American. He won the Butkus and Bednarik awards in 2005, joining LaVar Arrington as the only Penn State player to win both in the same season. He broke Penn State’s all-time tackles record by accumulating 372 total tackles during his college career.

In 2006, Posluszny won the Bednarik Award for the second consecutive season, making him the second ever NCAA player to win the award multiple times. Legendary Penn State linebacker Jack Ham claimed that Posluszny was the greatest linebacker to ever play at Penn State.

Off the field, Posluszny impressed in the classroom. He graduated a semester early with a 3.57 GPA and a BS in finance. He was a two time Academic All-American and was named the Student Athlete of the Year in 2006.

Posluszny played 11 seasons in the NFL for the Bills and the Jaguars. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2013. He finished his NFL career with 1,214 tackles, eight forced fumbles, and 13.5 sacks.

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