Where will former Nittany Lions go in the 2022 NFL Draft? Here’s a look at projections
Penn State football still has three former players earning projections in the first two rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Wide receiver Jahan Dotson is still projected to go in the first round, while EDGE Arnold Ebiketie is projected for either of the first two rounds and safety Jaquan Brisker is projected to go in the second round.
Let’s take a look at some of the current landing spots and potential fits for the former Nittany Lions.
WR Jahan Dotson
No. 22 and No. 28 to the Green Bay Packers
The Packers are in desperate need of help at wideout after trading away star receiver Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders. They were able to convince future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers to return, but haven’t found him much help beyond Adams on the outside for years.
Dotson would step in as the most talented receiver on the roster, whether Green Bay takes him at 22 or 28. He’d have a chance to play with Rodgers and put up big numbers as a freshman.
No. 29 to the Kansas City Chiefs
Like the Packers, the Chiefs will need to replace one of the most prolific receivers in the NFL. Kansas City traded Tyreek Hill — widely regarded as the fastest weapon in the league — to the Miami Dolphins. Now they’ll need to get star quarterback Patrick Mahomes another option to be one of the top two targets on the team alongside tight end Travis Kelce.
Dotson would help replace some of the downfield speed, but could also do a lot of the intermediate and sort work Hill did in the passing game for Kansas City.
EDGE Arnold Ebiketie
No. 30 to the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City would be one of the better first round landing spots for Ebiketie. He’d have a chance to play early but not be asked to do the things he doesn’t excel at just yet. Ebiketie is an excellent pass rusher who uses his speed and bend to get around the edge and get after the quarterback.
He can continue building up his ability in the run game while perfecting what he already does well as a pass rusher. Not to mention, he could easily find himself deep in the playoffs.
The Jets could be looking to find help at pass rusher in the first round — with one of their two top 10 picks — but if they go in another direction, Ebiketie could be a perfect fit in the second round. Head coach Robert Saleh needs better pass rushers to get his defense playing at a high level, and the former Nittany Lion would be a good start.
He’d step in as the team’s highest upside pass rusher right away and could help be a foundational piece along the defensive line for Saleh and the Jets.
No. 53 to the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay is in need of pass rush help with the departure of EDGE Za’Darius Smith, who already missed most of the 2021 season due to injury. The Packers need enough depth to warrant using an early choice on a player with some serious upside. Ebiketie has the type of potential that could make a general manager look brilliant for taking him in the second round.
He’ll get sacks early and often in his NFL career, making him good at one of the highest-value skills in the league. If his ability against the run comes around, that upside gets even higher.
S Jaquan Brisker
The Giants could use help at safety to benefit the secondary as a whole. Julian Love and Xavier McKinney will do a lot of the heavy lifting at the position, but Brisker would have a chance to come in and unseat Love relatively quickly. McKinney has solidified himself as a starting safety early in his career and could use a partner to match his talent.
Brisker might have even more ability than McKinney and could prove to be a true leader in the Giants’ secondary for a long time.
No. 52 to the Pittsburgh Steelers
This would be quite the homecoming for Brisker, a Pittsburgh native. The Steelers have one of the best safeties in the NFL in Minkah Fitzpatrick, but don’t have a starter locked in alongside him yet. Former starter Terrell Edmunds is still a free agent but doesn’t have the same well-rounded skillset Brisker does.
Brisker and Fitzpatrick would be nearly interchangeable at safety for Pittsburgh, with both showing the ability to drop into coverage — whether it’s zone or man — and step up to help in the run game. The former Nittany Lion could also be a long-term solution if Fitzpatrick’s price point gets to high when he’s set to his free agency next offseason.
