Penn State football LB Brandon Smith sitting out Outback Bowl, declares for NFL Draft
Penn State will be down a starting linebacker for the Outback Bowl and the 2022 season. Junior Brandon Smith announced Friday he’s declaring for the 2022 NFL Draft and foregoing the Jan. 1 Outback Bowl.
“To my teammates, I want to thank you for all the memories we’ve had, and I appreciate you all for believing in me while we battled on the field,” his statement on Twitter reads. “You all are my brothers and I’m always a call or message away! To Coach Franklin and my coaches, thank you all for taking a chance on someone from Louisa, a small town in Virginia where almost nobody gets out and is given the opportunity to do what I have been able to do at Penn State.”
Smith is the first Nittany Lion to declare for the 2022 NFL Draft. Starting quarterback Sean Clifford announced he’ll be returning for a sixth season in early December.
The junior linebacker accrued 131 tackles, six passes defended, four sacks, a forced fumble and an interception in his three-year career.
Smith made his debut as a freshman and earned three solo tackles and a tackle for loss in his debut against Idaho. He went on to start every game as a sophomore and junior, accruing 21 starts in his 34 games played in his career.
He was flanked by sophomore Curtis Jacobs and redshirt senior Ellis Brooks at the second level of the defense. While Brooks is a senior, he could also have a decision to make about his future. He has a year of eligibility left after the NCAA granted all athletes participating in the 2020-21 athletic season an extra year of eligibility due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Penn State is already set to lose starting cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields, starting defensive end Arnold Ebiketie, starting safety Jaquan Brisker and starting defensive tackle Derrick Tangelo. All four players are out of eligibility after using their extra year for the 2021 season.
The defense will likely take a much different shape next year with the loss of at least five starters, counting Smith, and defensive coordinator Brent Pry, who left for the Virginia Tech head coach job and was replaced by Manny Diaz.
