8 former Nittany Lions were selected in the NFL Draft. Here’s where they’re all headed
Penn State football had its highest number of draftees in the James Franklin era during the 2022 NFL Draft. The three-day event, which was held in Las Vegas from Thursday to Sunday, saw eight former Nittany Lions get selected, one of which went in the first round.
Here are all eight players who were taken, along with the former Penn Staters who were signed as undrafted free agents.
Day One
WR Jahan Dotson — Round 1, pick 16, Washington Commanders (Overall pick No. 16)
Dotson finished his career with 183 catches for 2,757 yards and 25 receiving touchdowns. Those marks are good for second when it comes to receptions and touchdowns and fourth in yards. He also set the single game record for receiving yards against Maryland in his final season, racking up 242 yards on the road against the Terrapins in November.
That production was crucial for Penn State during the 2021 season when he had 91 receptions for 1,182 yards and 12 touchdowns. Dotson showed off his dynamism as a wide receiver, frequently making difficult catches using his athleticism and excellent hands to reel balls in. His final year earned him third team All-American status from the Associated Press and Phil Steele.
Day Two
EDGE Arnold Ebiketie — Round 2, pick 6, Atlanta Falcons (Overall pick No. 38)
Ebiketie only spent one season at Penn State, utilizing the transfer portal to go from Temple — where he spent his first three seasons — to the Nittany Lions. He took advantage of his lone season with the program, racking up 9.5 sacks to lead Penn State in the 2021 season while adding two forced fumbles.
He was the most consistent pass rusher on the roster and established himself as a force along the defensive front when opponents dropped back to pass. Ebiketie finished his college career with 15.5 sacks, with the first six coming at Temple. His athletic traits stood out in the pre-draft process. He measured at 6 feet, 2 inches and 250 pounds with 34 1/8-inch arms and ran a 40-yard dash in 4.65 seconds.
S Jaquan Brisker — Round 2, pick 16, Chicago Bears (Overall pick No. 48)
Brisker became a leader in his final year with the program, receiving praise from teammates and coaches alike for his ability to take charge. He was one of the stars of the 2021 defense, accumulating 63 tackles and two interceptions. That includes an interception that helped seal a victory in the team’s first game of the season against Wisconsin on the road at Camp Randall Stadium.
He spent a total of three seasons at Penn State after having played two years at Lackawanna Community College. In those three years as a Nittany Lion, he made 21 starts and 153 tackles, 9.5 of which were for loss, hauled in five interceptions and broke up 14 passes in 34 career games played.
Day Three
LB Brandon Smith — Round 4, pick 15, Carolina Panthers (Overall pick No. 120)
Smith joined Penn State as a five-star linebacker recruit out of high school and tallied 131 tackles in three years of college football to go with four sacks and an interception.
He left early for the draft and impressed with his size and athleticism at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. He measured in at 6-foot-3.5, 250 pounds and ran a 4.52 40-yard dash, showing off what makes him so tantalizing as an NFL prospect.
P Jordan Stout — Round 4, pick 25, Baltimore Ravens (Overall pick No. 130)
Stout punted 67 times for 3,083 yards with a 46.0 yard average and was named a first team All-Big Ten Conference and won the Eddleman-Fields Punter of the Year award in 2021. He measured at 6-foot-3, 209 pounds at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. He ran his 40-yard dash in 4.65 seconds in his lone workout at the combine.
CB Tariq Castro-Fields — Round 6, pick 43, San Francisco 49ers (Overall pick No. 221)
Castro-Fields made 12 starts with 32 tackles (25 solo) and six pass breakups in 2021. He was named an All-Big Ten honorable mention by the coaches and media and earned an invitation to the Reese’s Senior Bowl. He measured at 6-foot-1, 197 pounds at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.38 seconds in his only workout at the combine.
OT Rasheed Walker — Round 7, pick 28, Green Bay Packers, (Overall pick No. 249)
Walker started 32 games at the position for the Nittany Lions, but missed the final three games of his career with a meniscus injury in his knee.
Despite the injury, he was named honorable mention All-Big Ten after the 2021 season, just as he was following the 2020 season, and was a captain in his final year with the Nittany Lions. His 32 starts came consecutively and accounted for the majority of the 36 games he played in during his four-year career.
EDGE Jesse Luketa — Round 7, pick 35, Arizona Cardinals (Overall pick No. 256)
Luketa showed off his versatility in his final year at Penn State, transitioning to defensive end after playing linebacker in his first three years of college. He played both positions in the final year, but mostly stuck at end. He racked up 151 tackles and hauled in an interception for a touchdown during the 2021 season.
Undrafted free agents
LB Ellis Brooks — Green Bay Packers
Brooks was a long-time starter at Penn State and joins Walker with the Packers.
DT Derrick Tangelo — Atlanta Falcons
Tangelo began his career at Duke and spent the 2021 season as a starter with the Nittany Lions.
OG Eric Wilson — New Orleans Saints
Wilson arrived at Penn State for the 2021 season after beginning his career at Harvard.
S Drew Hartlaub — Carolina Panthers
Hartlaub ran a 4.22 40-yard dash at Penn State’s Pro Day and will likely be exclusively used as a special teamer.
RB John Lovett — Carolina Panthers
Lovett joined Penn State after spending most of his career at Baylor, running for 177 yards in his only season as a Nittany Lion.
