2024 • JUNIOR SEASON
Awards: Postseason: Tabbed All-Big Ten honorable mention by the media...Earned Academic All-Big Ten honors. Preseason: Named to the Lott IMPACT Trophy and Reese's Senior Bowl watch list.
Season: Appeared in all 16 games, making 14 starts at defensive end...Finished with 42 tackles (24 solo) to go along with 13 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one interception, three pass breakups and nine quarterback hurries...Named the coaching staff's Defensive Player of the Game (SMU - 12/22).
Rankings: Finished tied for fifth in the Big Ten in tackles for loss (13.0) and tied for sixth in sacks (8.5).
at West Virginia (8/31): Recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter...Added a pass breakup and solo tackle. Bowling Green (9/7): Posted a pair of tackles. Kent State (9/21): Recorded a strip-sack in the first quarter...Finished with two tackles. Illinois (9/28): Notched a solo sack on an intentional grounding call. UCLA (10/5): Had a career-best two pass breakups and added two quarterback hurries. at USC (10/12): Matched a career high with six tackles to go along with two tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry...Recorded a solo tackle for loss in the first quarter and added another tackle for loss in overtime. at Wisconsin (10/26): Tallied two tackles, including one solo. at Purdue (11/16): Recorded a solo sack on Purdue’s opening drive...Also added a solo tackle for loss in the second quarter. at Minnesota (11/23): Assisted on two tackles. Maryland (11/30): Posted three solo tackles, including his fourth sack of the season...Added three quarterback hurries. vs. Oregon (12/7): Assisted on two tackles. SMU (12/22): Tallied four total tackles, including 1.5 sacks...Added a quarterback hurry. vs. Boise State (12/31): Tied his career high with six total tackles, including a single-game career high 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack. vs. Notre Dame (1/9): Recorded two sacks, his second career-multi-sack game...Forced a fumble on a strip-sack in the second quarter...Intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter...Tied his career high with six tackles (4 solo).
2023 • SOPHOMORE SEASON
Awards: Named third-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and honorable mention by the media...Earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.
Season: Appeared in all 13 games, making three starts...Finished with 26 tackles (17 solo), six tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup...Named the coaching staff's Defensive Player of the Game (Indiana, 10/28).
Delaware (9/9): Recorded a half-tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry. at Illinois (9/16): Posted two tackles and assisted on a tackle for loss. Iowa (9/23): Forced a fumble in the first quarter, the first of his career, which was recovered by Curtis Jacobs...Added a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry. at Northwestern (9/30): Posted a solo sack in the second quarter...Also assisted on a tackle for loss early in the second quarter. at UMass (10/14): Combined with Adisa Isaac on a sack in the first quarter. at Ohio State (10/21): Made three tackles (2 solo). Indiana (10/28): Secured a career-best six tackles to go along with a sack and a forced fumble...Recorded a strip-sack late in the fourth quarter, resulting in a safety to help seal the wins for the Nittany Lions. at Maryland (11/4): Made three stops (2 solo). Michigan (11/11): Tied a career high with two tackles for loss, including one sack, and finished with three solo tackles...Recorded the solo sack on Michigan’s opening drive. Rutgers (11/18): Recovered a fumble in the second quarter. vs. Ole Miss (12/30): Made three stops (2 solo) and a quarterback hurry.
2022 • TRUE FRESHMAN SEASON
Awards: Named an ESPN.com True Freshman All-American.
Season: Appeared in all 13 games...Made 17 tackles (11 solo), three sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss, three quarterback hurries, one interception and a pass breakup.
Ohio (9/10): Made two solo tackles...Added a quarterback hurry. at Auburn (9/17): Recorded a sack in the fourth quarter, the first of his career. Central Michigan (9/24): Registered a career-high two sacks...Added a pass breakup. at Michigan (10/15): Picked up three tackles (2 solo) and a quarterback hurry. Minnesota (10/22): Totaled two solo stops. Ohio State (10/29): Assisted on one tackle for loss. at Indiana (11/5): Recorded his first career interception and returned it 20 yards...Added three total tackles. Maryland (11/12): Assisted on one tackle and added a quarterback hurry. at Rutgers (11/19): Had one tackle. vs. Utah (1/2): Made a solo stop.
HIGH SCHOOL
Four-time letterman for head coach Hakeem Sule at McDonogh School in Maryland...Two-time team captain...Helped guide McDonogh to an 11-1 record as a sophomore and a runner-up finish in the Maryland A Conference...Selected to play in the 2022 All-American Bowl and the Polynesian Bowl...Missed part of senior season due to injury...Junior season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic...Recorded 40 tackles (21 solo), six sacks and two forced fumbles a sophomore...Made 14 stops (3 solo) as a freshman...Rated a five-star prospect by Rivals and a four-star prospect by 247Sports, On3 and ESPN...Ranked as the No. 47 overall recruit, No. 7 defensive lineman and No. 1 prospect in Maryland by 247Sports...Graded the No. 44 player overall, No. 7 defensive lineman and No. 1 player in Maryland by On3...Rated the No. 11 overall prospect, No. 1 strongside defensive end and No. 1 player in Maryland by Rivals...Tabbed the No. 79 overall recruit, No. 9 defensive end, No. 9 player in the region and No. 3 player in Maryland by ESPN...Also lettered in basketball and track and field...Was on the honor roll all four years of high school.
PERSONAL
Full name is Dani Deshon Dennis-Sutton...Son of Tishon Dennis and Dana Sutton...Has two sisters, Dayna and Desira...Enjoys meditation, photography and reading as hobbies...Has participated in community service work with the Dagsboro Boys & Girls Club...Plans on majoring in communications at Penn State with a career goal of owning his own gym.