Penn State football’s defense received a major boost when defensive end Shaka Toney and safety Lamont Wade were not listed among the 115 players who declared for the 2020 NFL Draft.

The deadline to declare for the draft was Monday, January 20, and neither player made any sort of announcement about their future. Despite that, Yetur Gross-Matos and KJ Hamler were the only two Penn Staters to feature on the NFL’s list of early departures.

Toney was a major force on the Nittany Lions’ defensive front seven in 2019. He racked up 43 total tackles — 30 assisted, 13 solo — in addition to eight tackles-for-loss, 6.5 sacks, and a fumble recovery this season.

The Philadelphia native made his first career start in 2019 and wound up starting four games for the Nittany Lions, including the Cotton Bowl Classic. He appeared in all 13 of Penn State’s games in 2019.

Elsewhere, Wade quietly grew into one of Penn State’s most important defenders throughout the 2019 season. He started the season with a few subpar performances, but he quickly picked up his game starting with the Nittany Lions’ big home win over Purdue on October 5.

Toney and Wade will join the likes of right tackle Will Fries, tight end Pat Freiermuth, and center Michal Menet in returning to Penn State next season. In addition to Gross-Matos, KJ Hamler declared for the NFL Draft on New Year’s Eve. Those two players, however, will be the only notable early departures Penn State suffers this offseason.

About the Author

Matt DiSanto

Matt proudly served as Onward State’s managing editor for two years until graduating from Penn State in May 2022. Now, he’s off in the real world doing real things. Send him an email (mattdisanto86@gmail.com) or follow him on Twitter (@mattdisanto_) to stay in touch.

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