Penn State puts pair in new NFL first-round mock draft; Lions land new offensive coordiantor: Newsstand
Penn State news, notes, and updates for Dec. 1 include a new first-round mock draft plus headlines of the day and more.
It’s time to dive into Friday’s top tweets and headlines. about the Nittany Lions and college athletics.
Penn State tweets of the day
We start with a fresh first-round NFL mock draft from longtime expert Dane Brugler of The Athletic. He has two Penn State players going off the board within the first 32 picks. In fact, he sees both Lions landing inside of the top 20. Left tackle Olu Fashanu goes to the Washington Commanders at No. 5 in Brugler’s first mock.
“When ranking the Commanders’ greatest needs, offensive tackle isn’t at the very top,” Brugler writes. “But the position hasn’t been a strength, and it would be tough to see the organization passing on a cornerstone left tackle. Though he needs to continue developing as a run blocker, Fashanu, who played his high school ball 10 miles from FedEx Field, is outstanding in pass protection with his body movements, angle awareness and ability to sit down versus power.”
After Fashanu, first-team All-Big Ten defensive end Chop Robinson goes to the Atlanta Falcons at No. 19.
“A player with a wide projection range, Robinson’s body of work says third round, but his ceiling and flashes point to Round 1,” Brugler writes. “The Falcons’ pass rush has ranked near the bottom of the league for far too long, and Robinson’s explosiveness off the edge is a potential answer to that problem.”
It’s worth noting that Lions corner Kalen King did not make the cut. Many saw him as a first-round pick at the start of the year. But, his stock has dropped. However, ESPN’s Field Yates still has him as the top cornerback in the draft.
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“Part of being a capable cover cornerback in the NFL is having the mental toughness to believe on every rep that you’re superior to your opponent,” Yates writes. “And King has a contagious competitive swagger to him that is matched by an impressive skill set.”
In other news, the Lions are preparing to announce their next offensive coordinator. Andy Kotelnicki will join the program from Kansas. And, the 2024 Blue-White game will be April 13, 2024 in Beaver Stadium.
Headlines of the day
10 stats that tell the story of the Nittany Lions’ 2023 season: McGonigal, PennLive
4 things to know about new Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki: His favorite word, plan of attack, more: Pickel, BWI
Expectation vs. Execution | How Penn State football fared in 2023: Allen, Daily Collegian
Column: Penn State, James Franklin tackle one hurdle. Others remain: Bauer, BWI
Fifty-three years after turning down Peach Bowl, Penn State finally appears destined for Atlanta: Jones, PennLive
Quote of the day
“This is a fantastic hire for @PennStateFball at OC to get Andy Kotelnicki. Super creative + open box mindset play designer and play caller.”
–Former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky on the Lions hiring Andy Kotelnicki as their new offensive coordinator.
