Max Granville’s Comeback Season: Why Penn State’s Edge Room Could Revolve Around the Third-Year Talent
A new era is underway in Happy Valley. With James Franklin now at Virginia Tech and Matt Campbell stepping in after a decade of grinding it out at Iowa State, Penn State football is in the middle of a full-scale reboot. New head coach, fresh assistants, a revamped recruiting class, and a wave of transfers have reshaped the roster-and the expectations-for 2026.
But amid all the change, there’s one name that quietly carries major weight heading into the offseason: Max Granville.
Granville, a third-year edge rusher, missed the entire 2025 season due to injury. But don’t let that lost year fool you-he’s still one of the most intriguing pieces on this defense.
With the Lions saying goodbye to high-impact veterans like Dani Dennis-Sutton and dealing with the unexpected transfer of promising freshman Chaz Coleman to Tennessee, the edge room is wide open. And Granville, if healthy, could be a game-changer.
The Athletic Profile: Built to Disrupt
At 6-foot-3 and 248 pounds, Granville brings a rare blend of size, speed, and athleticism. A product of Fort Bend Christian Academy in Texas, he was a consensus four-star prospect coming out of high school-and for good reason. In his final two prep seasons, he racked up 32.5 sacks, terrorizing quarterbacks with a relentless motor and explosive first step.
But it wasn’t just football where Granville made noise. He was a multi-sport standout, excelling in basketball and track and field.
He placed second in the state in both the shot put and 110-meter hurdles, and finished third in the 300-meter hurdles. He even made waves in the high jump.
That kind of athletic versatility doesn’t just show up on a stat sheet-it translates directly to the edge position, where balance, burst, and bend are everything.
And the football pedigree runs deep. His father, Billy Granville, was an All-ACC linebacker at Duke and spent time in the NFL with the Bengals and Texans.
His mom, Gretchen, played volleyball at NC State. Max didn’t just grow up around elite athletes-he is one.
The Lost Year: 2025 and the Road Back
Granville’s sophomore season never got off the ground. A long-term injury sidelined him before the first snap, and just like that, a year of development and potential breakout was gone.
But rewind to 2024, and there were already signs of what he could become. As a true freshman, Granville appeared in seven games and earned praise from coaches and teammates alike for how quickly he was picking things up.
Now, with a new coaching staff in place and a wide-open depth chart at defensive end, Granville has a golden opportunity to step into a major role.
The Fit: Opportunity Knocks
Matt Campbell made it clear early on-this defense is going to be built on depth and competition, especially in the trenches. With Dennis-Sutton off to the next level and Coleman headed south, the Lions are looking to build a five-deep rotation on the edge.
That’s not just coach-speak. In the Big Ten, where physicality still rules and the schedule is unforgiving, you need waves of pass rushers who can stay fresh and bring heat late into games.
Enter Granville.
If he’s healthy-and that’s the big “if” right now-he checks every box to be a difference-maker. He’s got the frame, the speed, the pedigree, and the experience (even if limited) to be a foundational piece in this new-look defense. Campbell knows it, too.
The Coach’s Take: Creating Competition
When Campbell spoke about the edge room this offseason, he didn’t shy away from naming names.
“Max Granville, where does he continue to go?” Campbell said.
“To be able to add the pieces we were able to add around that to create competition; again, three-deep was kind of our mindset. We’d better be able to create it in this league, to be able to play our schedule and be able to be our best every Saturday.”
That’s the blueprint. Campbell wants a deep, versatile group that can rotate and stay aggressive. Granville, with his physical tools and upside, could be a centerpiece of that plan.
The Outlook: Ceiling Remains Sky-High
In a season full of unknowns, Granville might be the biggest wild card on the defensive side of the ball. If he can stay healthy and build on the flashes we saw back in 2024, he has the potential to be a breakout star. He’s got the kind of skill set that doesn’t just fill a gap-it changes games.
The edge position is one of the most vital in modern college football. You need guys who can pressure the quarterback, set the edge in the run game, and force offenses to adjust.
Granville has all the tools to do just that. Now it’s about staying on the field, stacking practices, and seizing the opportunity in front of him.
As Penn State turns the page and enters the Campbell era, don’t be surprised if Granville becomes one of the key names helping define this next chapter.