BleacherCoaches.com

Coach started this idea over in the football thread and I think it could carry over well to here.

This is very, very difficult but this is the 4 I most associate with Penn State Football:

Joe Paterno - No brainer and no explanation needed.

John Cappelletti - Penn State's only Heisman winner

Jack Ham - Body of work award here. Player/Color Analyst. Hall of Famer and played on 2 undefeated teams.

Shane Conlan - This one was tough but he is a 2 time national champion and captain of Penn State's only undefeated National Championship.

Tough to overlook:

-Rip Engle - Built a dang good program long before Paterno
-Kerry Collins - Lead one of the best offenses in college football history.
-Todd Blackledge - QB of undefeated NC team
-Franco Harris - probably equal credentials to the last 2 but has hurt the program over the past few years.
-Derrick Williams - his commitment started PSU's resurgence
-Larry Johnson Jr. - Had probably the best statistical season in PSU FB history
-Lavar Arrington - Most talented LB to go through LB U. If he stayed for his senior season, may have mad the rock.
-Bobby Engram - Best WR in program history
-Michael Robinson - Played 3 positions for the Nittany Lions. Lead Orange Bowl victory '05 Lions

...and many, many more.

I agree with your first 3 but I would have to put Larry Johnson Jr. in front of Conlan. He played when the big ten was the toughest most gritty defensive conferences in the nation and still grinder out 1,00 yard seasons. I believe he was a heisman finalist? Correct me if I'm wrong. He had a short but very good productive career on a weak chiefs team. Took the starting job from a phenomenal back in priest Holmes who was at one point (03-06) one of the best runners in the game.

Actually he was a 2000 yard rusher, my apologies.