Name: Antonio Valentino
Number: 55
Position: Defensive Tackle
Class: Redshirt Senior
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 312 pounds
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
High School: Westerville-North
Previous School: Penn State
Twitter: @_groovy55
2020 statistics:
TOT | SOLO | SACK | FF | PD |
14 | 5 | 3.5 | 1 | 1 |
Overview:
Originally a three-star recruit from Columbus, Ohio, Valentino didn’t get an offer from the hometown Ohio State Buckeyes. Instead, he committed to his most high-profile offer and joined OSU’s Big Ten rival, Penn State. With the Nittany Lions, he was a rotational defensive lineman (and later a starter).
He’s appeared in 40 games, making 10 starts, and totaled 51 tackles (12.5 for loss) and six sacks. He redshirted his first year in 2016 but appeared in six games the following year. He appeared in every game in 2018 as a redshirt sophomore, and he has seen starting action the last two seasons.
With his 3.5 sacks in a shortened 2020 season, he was named an All-Big Ten honorable mention. Following the season, he elected to enter the transfer portal as a graduate, and he landed with a UF team that desperately needs help on the interior of the defensive line.
Along with fellow graduate transfer Daquan Newkirk from Auburn, Valentino is expected to be a starter at defensive tackle in his final season of eligibility in 2021.
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