One More Year: Penn State Defender Back For Seventh Season

It’s not a huge surprise considering Vilbert wouldn’t have been a good bet to get drafted but it’s still somewhat staggering to see that a guy has stuck around this long.

Here’s how it happened. Vilbert arrived at Penn State in 2019 and redshirted his true freshman season. He used his first year of eligibility in 2020, playing in four games. In 2021, he used his second year of eligibility, playing in 12 games and getting three sacks in the Outback Bowl against Arkansas. In 2022, Vilbert played in the Rose Bowl against Utah but missed the whole regular season for undisclosed reasons. He then missed all of 2023 with an injury before being back for 2024. It’s believed that the combination of Vilbert’s traditional redshirt, medical redshirt and extra season due to COVID-19 has allowed for him to still have eligibility going into 2025.

VILBERT’S IMPACT

Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now: Smith Vilbert

Penn State had arguably the best and deepest defensive end room in the country in 2024 and Vilbert was part of it. Although Abdul Carter, Dani Dennis-Sutton and Amin Vanover received more of the acclaim, Vilbert did his job when called upon. Vilbert finished the 2024 season with 12 tackles (4.5 for loss), 1.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles.

FRANKLIN ON VILBERT

Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now: Smith Vilbert

“A guy that not a lot of people are talking about right now is Smith Vilbert,” coach James Franklin told Steve Jones on The Penn State Coaches show this past September. “Smith is a guy that we think has the size and athleticism to play D-end and D-tackle this year and be a swing guy for us and we’re excited about him.”

Penn State begins its 2025 season Aug. 30 against Nevada at Beaver Stadium.