After Tony Rojas was freed from a snap count in the first couple weeks of the season, his play took another jump on the field, proving to be Penn State’s top player on either side of the ball.

Rojas recently earned recognition as an AP Midseason All-America second teamer for his production in the first half of the season, and D’Anton Lynn recognized Tuesday just how special of a player he can be.

“He's one of the most athletic inside backers I've seen, not just talking about Penn State, but just in general,” Lynn said Tuesday.

Rojas has played like one of the best linebackers in the country, but Lynn feels he has “another level” to reach, and his hope is to get him there within the next couple of games. The linebacker has also recognized that he hasn’t reached his full potential yet.

“I think I've been playing at a good level,” Rojas said. “Obviously, kind of hard on myself, so I know I have a lot to improve on, a lot of things to work on. During the bye week and going forward, just watching films, I know I can be better at things… I'd say obviously I've been playing well, but I think I have a lot more to show.”

What that would look like on the field could push Rojas into even bigger conversations given what he’s done in the first half of the season. His 56 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and five sacks all lead the team by a significant margin.

The success that Rojas has had comes from his desire to be on the field and help the team emerge victorious in any way. Now fully recovered from his knee injury that ended his 2025 season, Rojas is a player that Matt Campbell understands wants to be on the field as much as possible, even taking upwards of 60 snaps in a game.

“I've never met a great player that doesn't want to play or be on the field,” Campbell said. “I think every great player I've been around, ‘I'm not rotating with anybody, I'm staying on the field and if you try to sub me in, I'm not letting you do that.’ And that's I think Tony to a T.”

Rojas himself said he doesn’t like when he’s on the sideline. He was itching to be on the field more in the first two weeks as he worked himself back to full strength.

“But at that point when I was at my snap count, I was like, ‘Nah, I need to play,’” Rojas said. “I don't like standing on the sideline, so I think at that point I think we got things rolling.”

In Lynn’s scheme, he’s constantly trying to get his playmakers in a position to make a difference, and he’s found that with Rojas. As part of his five sacks, the linebacker feels working against the interior of the offensive line is where his strong suit is when he’s rushing the passer.

However, when he’s off the field, he’s still making an impact on the team. Defensive end Yvan Kemajou has recognized the confidence that Rojas brings to the unit and his ability to give others confidence throughout the game. Kemajou also noticed the help he brings behind the scenes, almost adding another coaching voice in the linebacker room.

Rojas’ ability to lead by example is something both Campbell and Lynn noticed during the bye week. It’s not just his voice that has stood out, but he’s also been a leader on the practice field. His work ethic and persistence makes him a well-rounded leader on the defense.

“Tony's done some great things, and it's been really awesome,” Campbell said. “And as we know and statistically, there's a great catalyst when he's at his best. But I think there's some areas too where he can continue to improve, and he knows that. And what I love about Tony is he's probably one of the guys that has spearheaded last week of coming out with purpose and intent, really having a great week of practice.”

Rojas’ leadership and work at practice are part of his overall goal. He’s thrown personal goals out the window, focusing purely on the team and the rest of Penn State’s season.

“I just want to win out,” Rojas said. “I think just winning is my biggest thing, and all those accolades and whatever doesn't really do anything good for me. I just want to win.”

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