Eight months ago, Penn State’s coaching staff confirmed that edge rusher Max Granville had suffered a “long-term” injury - and just like that, one of the most intriguing young defenders on the roster was sidelined for the entire 2025 season. No details were ever shared publicly about the nature of the injury, but what we do know is this: Granville is healthy now, and as spring ball approaches, he’s squarely back in the mix.
This isn’t just any player returning from injury. Granville came to Happy Valley with serious buzz.
A four-star prospect in the 2025 recruiting cycle, he reclassified late in the process to join the 2024 class, arriving on campus just days before preseason camp. Despite the late transition, he didn’t look out of place.
Granville’s high school tape was electric. At Fort Bend Christian Academy in Sugar Land, Texas, he racked up 12 sacks and 19 tackles for loss as a senior.
The year before that? He exploded onto the scene with a jaw-dropping 20 sacks.
Those numbers weren’t just eye-popping - they were a warning to offensive tackles everywhere: this kid’s coming fast, and he’s coming hard.
His freshman year at Penn State was more of a teaser than a full showcase. Granville logged 52 defensive snaps in 2024, preserving his redshirt while still managing to flash his potential.
He finished with a tackle, a pass breakup, and a quarterback hurry - modest numbers, sure, but he made those reps count. When All-American Abdul Carter went down with a shoulder injury during the Fiesta Bowl, Granville got extra run in a high-stakes environment.
And he didn’t look out of place.
“It felt really good,” Granville said about the opportunity. “When you get a couple [snaps], you always start getting thirsty for more.
I felt prepared. I felt the more I get on the field, the more comfortable I’m getting.
I’m ready to step up whenever I’m needed, and I’m only going to continue to get better with my pass rushing and wherever they need me.”
That mindset, paired with his physical tools, is exactly why he was projected as a two-deep contributor heading into last season - and why his injury was such a tough blow for Penn State’s depth. But now, with spring practices on the horizon, the question is simple: what’s next for Max Granville?
“Max Granville, where does he continue to go?” head coach Matt Campbell said this week while discussing the defensive line.
It’s a fair question, and one that new edge rushers coach Christian Smith is already working to answer. Smith, who joined the Nittany Lions staff this offseason after three years coaching the defensive line at Northwestern, has wasted no time getting up to speed on his new group.
“I’ve watched every single rep that Max took as a freshman,” Smith said. “I know why everyone was expecting him to have a jump-out year last year. So I’m glad he’s on our team.”
That’s not just coach-speak. It’s a sign that Granville’s potential hasn’t gone unnoticed - even after a year on the shelf. For a Penn State defense that’s consistently churned out NFL-caliber edge rushers, having someone with Granville’s upside back in the fold is a big deal.
There’s still plenty of work ahead. Spring ball will be an important checkpoint, and Granville will need to prove he’s not just healthy, but ready to make an impact. But the foundation is there: the pedigree, the production, the hunger.
And if he can stay on the field, Max Granville might just remind everyone why he was one of the most talked-about names in the building not too long ago.