Going into the 2025 football season, Nittany Lions Wire will examine each player listed on the Penn State roster. Over the preseason, each profile will cover the player’s background, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for James Franklin this season.
It didn’t take long for safety Dejuan Lane to get acclimated, as he appeared in all 16 games during his true freshman campaign. With Kevin Winston Jr. and Jaylen Reed departing for the NFL, it opens the door for Lane to take over a starting role in 2025 as Penn State eyes a title run.
Preseason Player Profile
Hometown: Jessup, Maryland
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Height: 6-2
Weight: 207 lb
Class in 2025: Sophomore
Recruiting Rankings
Class of 2024: Consensus 4-star recruit, No. 31 safety per 247Sports
Lane was considered one of the top recruits out of Baltimore in his class, an area Penn State has recruited well since James Franklin’s arrival. He held offers from other top programs like Michigan, Georgia, Notre Dame and Oklahoma, but only took one official visit – to Happy Valley.
Depth Chart Overview
With two starters out of the picture, Lane has a clear path to a starting role alongside veteran Zakee Wheatley, though he’ll have to beat out players like Kolin Dinkins and Vaboue Toure, who won’t make things easy. Still, Lane should be viewed as a favorite to start come fall.
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: 2025 Penn State football: Dejuan Lane player profile
