Penn State All 105: The Pride of Schuykill County, Tyler Elsdon , Provides Leadership to PSU

Originally posted on Nittany Sports Now | By Joe Smeltzer | Last updated Jun 29, 2024 4:50 PM ET

Tyler Elsdon has had an interesting career at Penn State thus far.

The Schuykill County native got a late offer from Penn State, and from there, the decision of where he wanted to play became an easy one.

So far, his career has been a bit of a roller coaster.

Elsdon started his Penn State journey in 2020 and worked his way into the starting defense by the beginning of 2022. But after starting all 13 games at MIKE linebacker that season, he didn’t start any the next, with Kobe King overtaking him on the depth chart.

Elsdon has gone from an underclassman cutting his teeth to a start to a role player. Now, going into Year Five, his leadership is invaluable, and he’s the latest subject of All 105, a Nittany Sports Now series profiling each Penn State football player.

Height: 6-foot-2

Weight: 232 pounds

Hometown: Frackville, Pennsylvania

Before Penn State: Tyler Elsdon grew up in a place where Penn State football is the college team to root for.

“Everyone’s a Penn State fan,” Elsdon told reporters in a Zoom call in Aprik 2022.

He then illustrated Penn State’s standing in Schuylkill County.

I always tell this story, we have an ice cream joint called ‘Chill Out.’ We always go there, and if you go into the bathroom, just to wash your hands, go into the bathroom, whatever, there’s a big picture of Beaver Stadium. I just think it’s funny because you can never really escape Penn State football where I’m from.”

Penn State was the last school to offer Elsdon, and when he got the offer, the college choice became an easy one.

“I was kind of recruited pretty late just overall from colleges,” Elsdon said in April. “I think I was going into my senior year before I got any attention. Penn State was obviously my last offer, and I committed almost immediately. When they offered me, I said, ‘Yeah, I’m 99.9 percent sure this is where I’m coming.’

Elsdon said his mother took care of the .1 percent that might have had doubts.

A three-star recruit according to 247Sports’ composite rankings, he committed to Penn State in June 2019.

2020: Tyler Elsdon made his college debut and his first college tackle in Penn State’s season-ending win over Illinois at Beaver Stadium.

2021: Elsdon played in 12 of Penn State’s 13 games, both at linebacker and on special teams.

In the Outback Bowl against Arkansas, Elsdon received increased playing time due to Brandon Smith and Ellis Brooks opting out and picked up a career-high six tackles.

2022: Elsdon started all 13 games of Penn State’s games at MIKE linebacker, ending the year with 44 tackles (25 solo, three for loss), two quarterback hurries, a fumble recovery, a pass breakup and a sack.

Last year: Elsdon went from being an every-week starter to a role player. To illustrate the difference, Elsdon played 381 snaps in 2022 per Pro Football Focus and 161 in 2023.

Where he stands: Penn State’s projected starter at MIKE, Kobe King, was arguably one of the defense’s best players last season, so it’s not likely Elsdon will regain his starting spot. With that said, Elsdon is one of the most experienced players on Penn State’s roster, and that experience will be invaluable to a team looking to make its first trip to the College Football Playoff.

More All 105s

DE Mason Robinson

LB Kobe King

S Patrick Williams

DT Ty Blanding

LS Blaise Sokach—Minnick