The Green Bay Packers selected Penn State edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton in the fourth round (No. 120 overall) of the 2026 NFL draft.
Profile
- Height: 6-6
- Weight: 256
- Age: 22 (birthday: December 23, 2003)
- From: Millsboro, DE
Breakdown: Former five-star recruit who stayed all four seasons at Penn State, appearing in 55 games. Freshman All-American and two-time Big Ten pick. Highly intriguing combination of size, measured athleticism and consistent production at a top program. Looks the part at 6-6, 256, with a nearly 83″ wingspan and well-proportioned mass. Produced 147 total pressures and finished with 23.5 sacks, sixth most in school history. Also forced seven fumbles (fifth in school history) and picked off two passes. Plenty of good on tape, with flashes of great. Need consistency. Aced the combine with one of the best workouts ever for an edge rusher his size, although athleticism doesn’t always overwhelm on tape. Blocked three punts as a senior, leading the FBS.
Scouting reports
Unpacking Future Packers: Dani Dennis-Sutton
Dane Brugler’s scouting report: “A two-year starter at Penn State, Dennis-Sutton was an outside edge rusher (three-point stance) in former defensive coordinator Jim Knowles’ scheme. He posted nearly identical production each of the past two seasons and led the Big Ten in pressures per game (3.8) in 2025. He also added special teams duties as a senior and accounted for three blocked punts. Dennis-Sutton wins with a combination of quickness and power in all facets of his game. He isn’t very deceptive as a pass rusher, but his hands are active and aggressive, which allows him to mix up his attack with varying swims, stabs, rips and chops. Though he offers a solid anchor in the run game and rarely gives in, he lacks explosive twitch getting off blocks or redirecting in chase mode. Overall, Dennis-Sutton will find sack production harder to come by against NFL blocking, but he is a commanding presence and has the size, strength and quickness to be a force player on the edge. He will be more appealing to teams looking for a ‘high-floor’ role player, as opposed to a ‘high-ceiling’ pass rusher.”Lance Zierlein’s scouting report: “Dennis-Sutton is a base defensive end with toughness. He’s effective against the run, but he has limited pass-rushing upside. His predictable, linear rush lacks the burst and bend to beat tackles to the top of the rush and flatten into the pocket. He uses hand violence and brute force to challenge tackles with weak anchors. He’ll get bounced around because his pad level is too high, but he’s tough to finish and finds his way to the action when it’s near him. Dennis-Sutton is equipped to muddy running lanes but might not make many impact plays. He has average upside as an odd- or even-front end.”
Pro Football Sports Network: “Dani Dennis-Sutton was productive across from top-three draft pick Abdul Carter in 2024, amassing 8.5 sacks and 13 TFLs. In 2025, he echoed that production with 8.5 sacks and 12 TFLs, at times taking over games with his relentless motor and sheer tenacity. Dennis-Sutton has inbuilt limitations that place a cap on his upside, but he nonetheless holds merit as a mid-round rotational target. At 6’4″, 266 pounds, he has ideal frame density and length, to go along with great explosiveness, arc-running speed, venerable raw power, and an underlying urgency that never dies. Dennis-Sutton’s fluidity is a major concern, as he doesn’t have the bend or ankle mobility to consistently reduce or make quick transitions, and he still lacks a consistent pass-rush plan. Nevertheless, Dennis-Sutton’s motor and power profile ensures he can contend at contact when operating on the attack, and those same traits, in tandem with his motor, make him a force to be reckoned with in run defense and pursuit.”They said it: “First of all, his production is really, really good. His size, his speed. He’s got so much in front of him as far as his best football goes. He’s an elite athlete for a guy who is almost 6-6, who played around 265,” Gutekunst said. “His ability to come off the edge and rush the passer, affect the passer. He can bull rush. He can win with speed. His length affects the passer. He can set edges. He’s got a lot to offer, and a lot of good football in front of him.” — GM Brian Gutekunst
New uniform number: 51
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This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Green Bay Packers 2026 fourth-round pick: Edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton