UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Former Penn State cornerback Justin King didn't mince words yesterday.

Asked how outside linebacker Sean Lee's season-ending injury would affect the defense this season, King said: "It's a devastating blow."

Lee, from Upper St. Clair High School, found out yesterday that he would be forced to sit out the 2008 season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee Friday in practice.

His knee buckled on a non-contact play while he was chasing quarterback Daryll Clark.

"They expect to do the surgery in two or three weeks," Lee's father, Craig, said.

Lee, who watched yesterday's scrimmage from the sideline on crutches, would be a senior this fall. He was projected as a candidate for every major defensive award in the nation, a team captain and an All-American.

Lee, 6 feet 2, 234 pounds, has another year of eligibility left and is expected to finish his Penn State career as a fifth-year senior in 2009.

Penn State team physician Wayne Sebastianelli said the normal rehabilitation time for an injury such as Lee's is nine months.

"It's been a tough day," Craig Lee said, "but Sean will get through it."

Lee was not made available for interviews after yesterday's scrimmage. He did not return a call seeking comment, nor did defensive coordinator Tom Bradley.

Redshirt sophomore Bani Gbadyu has taken over for Lee.

"I have a responsibility to the team to help do everything I can this year in what might be a non-conventional way," Lee said in a statement. "I have to turn this into a positive. It's a bump in the road. I'm excited about the team we have and the kind of season we can have. It's a great opportunity for a young guy."

Senior analyst Rob Rang said NFLDraftScout.com had Lee ranked as its top outside linebacker for the 2009 draft, as well as the No. 6 player overall.

"The extent of Lee's injury will obviously have a huge impact on his pro prospects," Rang said. "He is viewed by scouts as a prospect similar to [Paul] Posluszny and [Dan] Connor, due to his combination of versatility, instincts and fine technique."

Lee earned first-team All-American honors from Pro Football Weekly last year and was a second-team All-Big Ten selection after finishing second in the conference in tackles to Connor.

Lee also was named defensive MVP of the Alamo Bowl in December after registering a game-high 14 stops. The two-year starter recorded double-figure tackles in 10 of the final 11 games a year ago.

Penn State's defense has been plagued by numerous spring suspensions and the losses of King, who bypassed his senior year of eligibility for the NFL draft, and middle linebacker Connor, who is projected to be a late first-round or early second-round NFL draft pick.

The Lions also are operating without cornerback A.J. Wallace, a projected starter who had some teeth knocked out after getting hit in the jaw nine days ago in practice.

Penn State's annual Blue-White scrimmage is at 2 p.m. Saturday at Beaver Stadium.