Penn State news: Torn ACL doesn’t stop star defender from making Freaks List

Even a torn ACL can’t stop Tony Rojas from being considered one of college football’s biggest athletic freaks.

The Penn State linebacker landed at No. 25 on Bruce Feldman’s annual “Freaks List” for The Athletic, which highlights 101 college football players with extraordinary athletic traits. Rojas climbed five spots from No. 30 last year despite suffering a torn ACL in late September that ended his 2025 season after just four games.

“He was No. 30 last year before a nightmarish season for the Nittany Lions. The standout linebacker tore his ACL in late September, ending his season. Rojas made 25 tackles, 4.5 TFLs and two sacks in four games. But he says he now feels even faster and stronger. Given how explosive he was before the injury, that’s really saying something. He clocked a 4.37 40 last offseason to go with a 10-5 broad jump and hit 22.5 mph on the GPS. This offseason, he improved his bench press to 385 pounds and did a 36-inch vertical jump and got back to running over 22 mph at 240 pounds.”

Rojas was already one of Penn State’s most intriguing defensive players before getting hurt. If his testing numbers translate back to the field, he could quickly remind the rest of the country why his NFL upside is so exciting. The Nittany Lions desperately missed him during a disappointing 2025 campaign.

Now, Rojas has an opportunity to make up for lost time. Cracking Feldman’s Freaks List once is impressive. Moving up five spots after spending much of the previous year recovering from a torn ACL is another level entirely. If Rojas really is faster and stronger than before, Penn State could be getting back an absolute monster in the middle of its defense in a new era.