Penn State releases details, participant list for March 24 Pro Day
The next step for Penn State’s NFL hopefuls is set.
Announced Thursday, the Nittany Lions will entertain NFL coaches and scouts next Thursday, March 24 for Pro Day. The annual event showcasing Penn State players will return to in-person media coverage for the first time since 2019.
In total, Penn State will feature 15 participants during its Pro Day.
Penn State Pro Day Participants
Penn State’s Pro Day participants are as follows:
Safety Jaquan Brisker, linebacker Ellis Brooks, cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields, linebacker Max Chizmar, receiver Jahan Dotson, defensive end Arnold Ebiketie, safety Drew Hartlaub, kicker Vlad Hilling, linebacker Jesse Luketa, linebacker Brandon Smith, punter Jordan Stout, defensive tackle Derrick Tangelo, offensive lineman Rasheed Walker, receiver Benjamin Wilson and offensive lineman Eric Wilson.
Penn State has 12 former scholarship performers and three former walk-ons filling out the group.
NFL Combine participants
Earlier this month, Penn State sent eight players to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.
Many of Penn State’s combine participants did not complete all aspects of the event, however. In that vein, Pro Day will serve as a second opportunity to impress scouts.
Lineman Rasheed Walker, continuing to rehabilitate from an unspecified injury that prevented him from playing in the Outback Bowl, did not complete any physical events at the combine.
Similarly, linebacker Jesse Luketa completed only the vertical jump and 40-yard dash before a hamstring tweak prevented his participation in the rest of his testing and on-field workouts.
Jaquan Brisker, expected to be a high-round selection, reportedly hurt his back while posting 22 reps on the bench press. He did post a 4.49-second 40-yard dash. His limited participation in the combine likely leaves open the door to a fuller Pro Day for Brisker.
Though not reported to have suffered any injury, Arnold Ebiketie also did not completely participate at the combine, choosing not to complete any of the timed running events.
At the top of the current mock drafts, Jahan Dotson will look to build on his combine performance. Checking in at 4.43 seconds, Dotson finished 12th among the receivers to run at the combine.
Expected to be taken anywhere from as high as the middle of the first round to the second or third round, Dotson could improve his standing with a strong pro day performance.
Maybe most notably among Penn State’s combine participants, Tariq Castro-Fields posted a strong athleticism score with his performance. Ranked second among the corners with a score of 97, Castro-Fields notched a 4.38 40-yard dash at 6-foot-1, 197 pounds.
Odds and ends
Though not invited to the combine, both Ellis Brooks and Derrick Tangelo have also participated in postseason showcase opportunities. Theirs was in the East-West Shrine Bowl in February.
Lastly, this spring, Vlad Hilling has been completing an internship with Chuck Losey and the Penn State football performance enhancement staff. His graduation is set for May.
