Penn State football: Two Nittany Lions go in first round of latest PFF mock
Mock draft season continues in full swing, and, as usual, Penn State football’s exciting group of 2022 NFL Draft prospects is front and center.
Two Nittany Lions featured in Pro Football Focus’s latest mock draft, with wide receiver Jahan Dotson and safety Jaquan Brisker each earning first-round projections according to draft analyst Trevor Sikkema.
Dotson found himself four spots higher in this mock compared to the one Sikkema released two weeks ago, while Brisker didn’t move, but is projected to head to a different team.
WR Jahan Dotson – 28th overall, Green Bay Packers
Hearing his name called by Green Bay could result in two very different outcomes for Dotson.
If Aaron Rodgers remains the Packers’ quarterback, then there aren’t very many better situations to walk into. Of course, his initial upside will depend to some extent on whether or not star wideout Davonte Adams renews his contract this offseason, too. But certainly, those are two excellent veteran players to learn from as a rookie, should they stick around.
Alternatively, Dotson could be catching passes from first-year starter Jordan Love — or perhaps someone else entirely — if Rodgers moves on.
Dotson is the sixth wideout off the draft board in Sikkema’s mock, which is about where he usually falls in most of the projections released early in this draft season.
Most analysts place him behind Arkansas’ Treylon Burks, USC’s Drake London, Alabama’s Jameson Williams and the Ohio State duo of Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave.
Sikkema, interestingly, has Dotson also behind Georgia wideout George Pickens, but ahead of Olave, who did not appear in the first round of this mock.
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S Jaquan Brisker – 31st overall, Detroit Lions via Los Angeles Rams
Sikkema keeps Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker slotted at the No. 31 spot in his updated mock.
However, this time, he has Brisker going to the Lions with a pick they acquired from the Rams, rather than the Kansas City Chiefs, with the mock draft order updated based on projected playoff results.
Sikkema noted that Detroit’s secondary, specifically its safeties, aren’t good enough, and that Brisker could become a contributor for the Lions from day one of his NFL career.
Brisker emerged in 2020 to become one of the best safeties in college football.
Last season, he posted 63 tackles, five pass breakups, six TFLs and two interceptions.
Brisker certainly would have garnered NFL interest had he elected to enter his name in the draft after the 2020 season, but instead decided to return.
He worked on trusting his instincts more this season, he said, and tried to make more plays on the ball — which he absolutely succeeded in doing.
He’s the second safety off the board for Sikkema, behind Kyle Hamilton of Notre Dame.
