Penn State football: Four Nittany Lions in The Athletic's latest two-round mock draft
Four Penn State Nittany Lions feature in The Athletic’s latest two-round mock draft.
Jahan Dotson, Jaquan Brisker, Rasheed Walker and Arnold Ebiketie are each projected to go in the top 64 this spring by draft expert Dane Brugler.
That number is tied with Ohio State for second in the Big Ten.
WR Jahan Dotson – 31st overall, Tennessee Titans
The only first-round draft choice for the Nittany Lions in this mock comes in the form of Jahan Dotson. Penn State fans know that he was the difference-maker for PSU’s offense this season, with 1,182 receiving yards and 13 total touchdowns.
Brugler notes that he has “twitchy athleticism and route-running skills” that allow him to put cornerbacks in conflict. The Titans are in need of a wide receiver to compliment AJ Brown after their acquisition of Julio Jones this offseason didn’t work out.
S Jaquan Brisker – 56th overall, Dallas Cowboys
Brugler has Penn State’s Jaquan Brisker going late in the second round to the Dallas Cowboys. If that happens, it would be the second year in a row the Cowboys took a Nittany Lion in the first two rounds. It’s safe to say Micah Parsons has worked out for them.
Brisker finished the 2021 season with 63 tackles, five pass breakups, a fumble recovery and two picks. He also added six tackles for loss, as he continued to excel against the run. The defensive back picked up first-team All-Big Ten honors, one of two Nittany Lions to do so on defense. Arnold Ebiketie also earned that accolade.
RELATED: A look at the complete Penn State 2022 NFL Draft class
T Rasheed Walker – 58th overall, Cincinnati Bengals
This choice from Brugler may come as a bit of a surprise to Penn State fans, who just watched Walker struggle through his redshirt junior season in State College.
Walker was tabbed as one of the best tackles with draft eligibility by many experts coming into the season. However, he seemed to play his way out of that class as part of an offensive line that struggled immensely in 2021. In Cincinnati, he’d be an investment on the part of the Bengals to help protect franchise QB Joe Burrow.
DE Arnold Ebiketie – 61st overall, Kansas City Chiefs
The final Penn State representative in the mock draft is defensive end Arnold Ebiketie. Ebiketie, who transferred from Temple last offseason, turned into one of the Nittany Lions’ most important contributors, with 9.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss.
He’d certainly help rejuvenate a struggling pass rush in Kansas City. The Chiefs had only 31 sacks during the regular season, 29th in the NFL.
