Western Michigan’s Derek Pennington is a young, homegrown linebacker with upside
Pennington is a 6-foot-2, 225-pound linebacker from Caledonia, Michigan, who arrived at Western Michigan as a consensus three-star recruit and redshirted in 2024 while working with the scout team. His calling cards are local toughness, positional versatility from his high school days at linebacker and tight end, and a solid frame that suggests room to grow into a more physical MAC defender. He also brings strong intangibles: family ties to WMU, academic discipline, and a reputation for steady development rather than flash.
