James Franklin has landed on his feet at Virginia Tech. He has taken a chunk of his former staff and even some players with him to Blacksburg. And with the Senior Bowl in Mobile, a former Penn State DE took a moment from the chaos of football to reflect on the man who brought him to Penn State and what his departure really meant.

“It was tough when Coach Franklin left. Obviously, it was an unfortunate situation,” Dennis-Sutton said Wednesday at Hancock Whitney Stadium. “But I’m happy for Coach Franklin and his family. He’s happy there. He found a new home, a place that appreciates him. So I’m happy for him.” 

Dennis-Sutton was part of Penn State’s vaunted 2022 recruiting class. This group included Abdul Carter, Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen, and Drew Allar, all of whom were expected to lead the Nittany Lions to glory. Franklin personally recruited Dennis-Sutton, a five-star prospect from McDonogh School in Maryland. They nearly lost him during the recruiting process over something as simple as single-room dorms. But Franklin sealed the deal. That’s the relationship they built.

Dennis-Sutton’s 2025 season was everything Franklin could have hoped for when he signed the 6-foot-5, 265-pound pass rusher four years earlier. He finished with 42 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, and an interception across 13 games. The season opener against Nevada set the tone. Dennis-Sutton forced two fumbles in a dominant performance, and Franklin didn’t miss the comparison.

“Dani Dennis-Sutton became the first Penn State player with two forced fumbles in a game since a guy by the name of Micah Parsons in 2019,” Franklin said in his postgame press conference. So when he was asked about Franklin’s new chapter at Virginia Tech, Dennis-Sutton couldn’t stop himself from supporting his coach, who did everything for him.

“I’m a Virginia Tech fan now, except when they play Penn State, obviously,” Dennis-Sutton said with a smile. “But I’m happy for Coach Franklin. That’s my guy.” 

These players loved James Franklin. They believed in him. And when the losses piled up and the university decided to move on, they understood it was business. But they didn’t have to like it. James Franklin found “a place that appreciates him.” It’s a subtle indictment of how things ended in Happy Valley. Fortunately for Dennis-Sutton’s rooting interests, Penn State and Virginia Tech aren’t scheduled to play each other in any future non-conference matchups. So he won’t have to choose sides anytime soon.

Now that Franklin is starting a new chapter at Virginia Tech and Penn State is rebuilding under Matt Campbell, Dennis-Sutton will be at the Senior Bowl with Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen, Zane Durant, and Zakee Wheatley, getting ready for the draft in April while reflecting on how quickly things changed.

What’s next for Dennis-Sutton 

Now Dennis-Sutton’s focus shifts from loyalty to legacy, specifically, building his own in the NFL. He enters the 2026 draft as one of the more intriguing developmental defensive linemen in the class. He carries a late Day 2 projection based on traits and versatility rather than overwhelming production. 

Standing 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, he’s got the frame NFL teams covet, plus the alignment flexibility to play as a base end, interior rusher on passing downs, or even as a stand-up edge. His 8.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss in 2025 don’t scream first-round dominance, but scouts see the flashes. 

The comparison that evaluators keep circling back to is Dayo Odeyingbo, another versatile defensive lineman whose developmental trajectory took time but eventually paid off. At the Senior Bowl this week, Dennis-Sutton has shown both promise and areas that need refinement. On his first rep against Boise State’s Kage Casey, it was a total mismatch. Dennis-Sutton extended his arms and dominated. But on his second rep at defensive end, he was easily walled off.

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The question isn’t whether Dennis-Sutton has NFL-caliber tools. It’s whether he can develop the pass-rush plan to match his athleticism. Right now, he relies too heavily on physical gifts over technique. His pad level can get sloppy, allowing offensive linemen to get into his frame. But for a team with an established defensive line rotation, a bet on Dennis-Sutton can pay off handsomely. Mel Kiper has him ranked as a top-10 defensive end in this class. And the Chicago Bears are among the teams specifically scouting him this week in Mobile.