Going into the 2024 football season, Nittany Lions Wire will examine each scholarship player listed on the Penn State roster. Over the preseason, each profile will cover the player’s background, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for James Franklin this season.
Penn State will have a veteran presence at the linebacker position even after moving Abdul Carter to the defensive line. Tyler Elsdon may be a solid contributor as one of Penn State’s top linebackers even if he is not a regular starter. The homegrown linebacker will no doubt have an impact on the defense in some way in the 2024 season. Here is a snapshot look at the senior linebacker heading into the 2024 college football season.
Preseason Player Profile
Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
Hometown: Frackville, PA
Height: 6-2
Weight: 227 lb
Class in 2024: Senior
Recruiting Rankings
Class of 2020: 4-star recruit by 247Sports, 3-star recruit by Rivals, no. 5 player in PA
There was no way Penn State was about to let one of the top linebackers in the state slip away from them in the Class of 2020. Tyler Elsdon was considered one of the top players in Pennsylvania out of high school and he was easily on Penn State’s radar. Elsdon attended a couple of Penn State summer football camps before receiving an offer in the summer of 2019, and he committed just days after receiving the offer. From there, Elsdon went on the fast track to joining the program as an early enrollee in January 2020.
Career Stats
York Daily Record
| Games | Tackles | TFL | Sacks | FF | |
| 2020 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021 | 12 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 13 | 44 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023 | 13 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Depth Chart Overview
York Daily Record
Penn State’s starting lineup at linebacker is probably set with Kobe King (pictured, above) anchoring things in the middle of the field after a solid 2023 season. King will be flanked by rising sophomore Tony Rojas on one side and upperclassman Dominic DeLuca to the other. So where does Elsdon fit into the depth chart picture?
In all likelihood, Elsdon will be the top option behind King in the middle of the linebacking unit this season. And out of all of the backups at linebacker, Elsdon can serve a key role in leading and mentoring the younger options on the roster next season. With a significant injury to Keon Wylie this spring, Penn State will probably have an opportunity for growth for players like freshman Anthony Specca and redshirt freshman Ta’Mere Robinson.
Miscellaneous Info
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Follow Elsdon on X: @tyler_elsdon43
Follow Elsdon on Instagram: @tyler_elsdon43
Tyler’s cousin is Rick Bolinski, a Penn State football letterman in 1999. Another cousin, Aaron Bolinsky, was a long snapper for Syracuse from 2019 through 2022.
