How former Nittany Lions drafted on Day 3 fit with their new NFL teams
The 2022 NFL Draft wrapped up Saturday evening with a total of eight former Penn State players going across the three-day event. Jahan Dotson went in the first round to the Washington Commanders, and was followed on the second day by Arnold Ebiketie going to the Atlanta Falcons and Jaquan Brisker going to the Chicago Bears in the second round.
The final day finished with five total Nittany Lions coming off the board. Brandon Smith went to the Carolina Panthers and Jordan Stout went to the Baltimore Ravens, both in the fourth round, and Tariq Castro-Fields went to the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round.
Let’s take a look at how the final five Nittany Lions drafted on Saturday will fit with their new NFL teams.
LB Brandon Smith to the Panthers
Smith was announced as a linebacker, as he was expected to be, and it will be interesting to see how he pans out at the position. From an athleticism standpoint, he’s as elite as they come. Smith ran a 4.52 40-yard dash and that didn’t come as much of a surprise given how good he is when he can run in a straight line. The biggest issue, however, is his play speed.
He can be a step late on diagnosing plays, relying on his athleticism to make up that ground which doesn’t always happen quick enough at the second level of the defense. Then, there are times when he over pursues and his athleticism takes him out of the play by putting him behind it. He’ll have to improve at diagnosing the action in front of him in order to maximize his upside at linebacker.
All of those issues could go away, however, if he’s moved to EDGE. Smith has all of the physical traits to be a high-level pass rusher in the NFL. He’s big, he’s fast and he has the bend to get around the edge and get after quarterbacks. That being said, Carolina already has Brian Burns and Yetur Gross-Matos locked into their starting defensive end spots.
Smith will likely slot in behind Shaq Thompson at weakside linebacker, and will have to develop in order to become a starter for the Panthers.
P Jordan Stout to the Ravens
There’s only so much one can say about a punter and his fit, but the Ravens are getting a good one. The decision to spend a fourth-round pick on a punter is one for a different discussion, but Baltimore should be getting the best punter in the draft. Yes, Matt Araiza, commonly known as “The Punt God” can smash a football, but Stout provides the type of hang time teams desire in the NFL and has an incredibly strong leg — even if it isn’t as strong as Araiza’s.
Stout also brings some versatility to the table, with the ability to be a kickoff specialist or kick long field goals, but that won’t be necessary in Baltimore. Ravens kicker Justin Tucker has both of those spots locked up for the forseeable future. Of course, they also have punter Sam Koch on the roster, but it seems likely that Stout will take over in short order given the draft capital Baltimore spent to take him.
CB Tariq Castro-Fields to the 49ers
Castro-Fields has plenty of desirable traits for an NFL cornerback, and it’s surprising it took as long as it did for him to come off the board. He’s long, athletic and is good in coverage. He has the long speed to stay with the fastest receivers, and the size to jam bigger receivers at the line of scrimmage.
His two biggest flaws are his tackling ability, which is admittedly almost nonexistent, and his ball skills. Castro-Fields isn’t the most consistent tackler and will need to be at least that in order to start down the line. He has to be able to wrap up to play long-term in the NFL. He also struggles to find the ball once it’s in the air but does a good job of knocking it out once it gets to the receiver he’s covering.
The fit here is a little bit less relevant given how late in the draft he went, but the former Nittany Lion should have a relatively good opportunity to make San Francisco’s regular season roster. The 49ers aren’t deep at cornerback and aren’t all that strong near the top of the depth chart either. If Castro-Fields can come in and show competitiveness as a tackler while maintaining the ability he’s shown in coverage, he’ll be in position to make the 53-man roster this fall.
OT Rasheed Walker to the Green Bay Packers
Walker’s precipitous fall down the draft board was a surprising one, given that he left early and has the upside to be a starting offensive tackle in the NFL. Walker has excellent size and length and has quick enough feet when he’s in his peak physical condition. He’s a good athlete who can move in space and likes to finish blocks in the run game, but will need to be at his best with the Packers.
Once he gets back to his best shape, the offensive tackle should be able to show why some considered him a potential second-day prospect in this class.
The difficult part for Walker might be finding a spot on the roster. Elgton Jenkins and David Bakhtiari are essentially locked in to start for Green Bay this season, and the Packers also added Wake Forest OT Zach Tom in the draft. That leaves limited space for Walker, whose inconsistency isn’t the type of attribute teams want for a back-of-the-roster player. At this point, it seems likely he could be destined for the practice squad this season unless he’s in great shape heading into the preseason.
That issue will be compounded as he recovers from a meniscus injury that ended his final season at Penn State prematurely and prevented him from working out with teams during the pre-draft process.
EDGE Jesse Luketa to the Arizona Cardinals
Landing in the seventh round of the draft usually isn’t ideal, but wherever Luketa landed he was going to have a chance to make the active roster as a rookie. He provides versatility, having played both inside linebacker and defensive end, and could play either in a pinch at the next level.
He doesn’t have great speed but has a relentless motor that keeps him in plays, especially against the run. He’s strong and physical as a pass rusher and run stopper at defensive end and carries many of the same characteristics to linebacker, where he’s proven to be a leader who can see the play develop ahead of time. His ability to get downhill and defend the run should be more useful in a 3-4 scheme like Arizona’s, and that increases his chance of making the roster.
It wouldn’t be a shock to see him make the team as an EDGE, where he’s asked to rush the passer and occasionally drop into coverage on the outside. Luketa could be a 3-4 outside linebacker or inside linebacker, increasing his value to the Cardinals in particular.
This story was originally published April 30, 2022 at 7:41 PM.
