Hall of Fame
Position: Linebacker
Years: 2003-06
Place of Birth: Butler, PA
Date of Birth: October 10, 1984
Jersey Number: 31
Height: 6-2
Weight: 232
High School: Hopewell (Aliquippa, PA)
An All-American on the field and in the classroom, Paul Posluszny is the only defensive player to ever win National Defensive Player of the Year and CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year honors in the same season. The Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, native now becomes the 20th Nittany Lion player to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
A two-time First All-American (consensus in 2005), Posluszny is one of only two two-time winners of the Bednarik Award as the best defender in the nation, claiming the award in 2005 and 2006. He claimed the 2005 Butkus Award as the best linebacker in the nation and was a finalist in 2006.
A two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection in 2005-06 and Second Team pick in 2004, Posluszny set a conference record being named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week five times during his career while guiding Penn State to a share of the 2005 Big Ten title.
The school's first two-time team captain since 1968, Posluszny was the first Nittany Lion to lead the team in tackles three times and the first to post three 100-tackle seasons. A starter in his last 37 games, he finished his career with 372 tackles, 35 tackles for loss, nine sacks, two interceptions and three forced fumbles. The team MVP in 2006, Posluszny's 372 career tackles rank second all-time at Penn State.
Playing for Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno, Posluszny led Penn State to a 26-23 victory over Florida State in the Orange Bowl and a final No. 3 AP ranking after the 2005 season. He also helped the Lions notch a 20-10 victory in the Outback Bowl and a final No. 24 AP ranking after the 2006 season.
A 2006 NFF National Scholar-Athlete and a finalist for the Campbell Trophy® with a 3.56 GPA, Posluszny was named the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year in 2006, a two-time First Team Academic All-American and a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection. In addition to his bachelor's degree in finance from Penn State, he has an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University (PA).
Selected in the second round (34th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Buffalo, Posluszny played 11 seasons in the pros with the Bills and the Jaguars, making the Pro Bowl in 2013.
Currently residing in Jacksonville, Florida, Posluszny is a strategy analyst with Raytheon Missiles & Defense. His community service work has included partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida to provide 250 laptops to local children and volunteering with Farm Share, a Jacksonville-area nonprofit dedicated to feeding hungry Floridians.
