Top Penn State linebacker kicks off watch list season by being a candidate for the Lott IMPACT Trophy

Watch list season is officially underway. Penn State redshirt junior linebacker Tony Rojas is one of 42 players up for this year’s Lott IMPACT Trophy. Named after NFL Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, it goes annually to a defender who “has had the biggest impact on his team both on and off the field.”

Rojas is expected to be a big part of the Nittany Lions’ defense in 2026. First, though, he must fully return to action after a lower-body injury cut short his 2025 season. The Fairfax, Va., native did not get to participate in spring practice. But, that has not tempered expectations for him in the eyes of new head coach Matt Campbell and his staff.

“He can kind of be an anchor to everybody and the glue, a little bit of what the preparation looks like, what we’re preparing for and towards,” Campbell said this spring. “It’s been great to have that room with some great maturity in there.”

Carl Nassib is the only Penn State player to win the Lott IMPACT Trophy. He did so after a sensational season in 2015. The only other Nittany Lion finalist for it is Paul Posluszny. He was up for it in 2006. Cal’s Dante Hughes was the eventual winner that year.

More: What are the two big questions facing the Penn State linebackers after spring ball?

As for Rojas, he looks to lead first-year defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn’s defense from the middle this fall. New Penn State linebackers coach Tyson Veidt has not seen him on the field yet. But, based on the linebacker’s past film and stats — 105 tackles (14.5 for loss), three sacks, and four interceptions — the new assistant knows what he has to work with.

“Repetition is the mother of all learning, which obviously he is lacking at this point with what we’re doing. But he’s an instinctive player and understands football … and works hard at it off the field,” Veidt said this spring. “I think you’ll see Tony in several spots this fall, not just at one spot. And that’s what we’re really excited about. As he gets back and can get going, we can look a little differently.

“He has not obviously been able to participate on the field, but he is participating in walk-throughs. So we’ve been trying to get him reps that way, so he’s actually involved physically that way. I couldn’t be more happy with the place that he is in mentally and physically right now. It’s just one day at a time.”