Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1445781
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 2 11 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M and staff. The last 11 years, he has been a keystone of our staff and my right- hand man. "As good of a coach as Deege is, he is an even better man, and he has been a father figure to so many of our guys throughout our time together. I will miss our talks and walks but know he is only a phone call away." Sliding into Galt's role after a two- week wait, assistant strength coach Chuck Losey was formally named assis- tant athletic director for performance enhancement on Jan. 18. Losey will be tasked with leading all performance en- hancement operations for the football program, having spent the past 11 years working alongside Galt. Penn State avoided further upheaval when running backs coach Ja'Juan Se- ider reportedly turned down overtures to return to his home state. On3's Matt Zenitz reported that Seider had been approached about becoming co-offen- sive coordinator at Florida State, and also about joining Billy Napier's new staff at Florida. But Seider appears set to continue at Penn State, where he has been on Franklin's staff since 2018. ■ JOE KRENTZMAN & SON, INC. • Buyers and Brokers of Steel, Iron and Nonferrous Metals • Industrial Scrap Buyers • Container Service Available • Large Service Territory Since 1903 Lewistown, PA • Hollidaysburg, PA • DuBois, PA (800) 543-2000 • www.krentzman.net F irst i n S cra p The NFL Draft entry deadline has passed, and the Senior Bowl is quickly ap- proaching for Penn State draft hopefuls. With a more complete picture now available, here's a look at the Penn State players who declared or are out of eligi- bility. Projections are made using ESPN analyst Todd McShay's top-300 rankings. WR Jahan Dotson — projected 1st-round pick Dotson is the PSU player most commonly found in the first round of mock drafts, and it's easy to see why. He posted 1,182 receiving yards and 13 total touchdowns this past season and was the shining light on an offense that struggled to click for much of the year. His route-running ability, hands and athleticism should make him a first-round selection on draft day. LB Brandon Smith — projected 2nd-round pick Smith surprised some when he elected to declare for the draft after his junior season. Some observers felt he had more work to do in order to reach his ceil- ing. He finished 2021 with 81 tackles (nine for loss), breaking up five passes and forcing a fumble. His testing numbers should make him an intriguing option. DE Arnold Ebiketie — projected second-round pick There's a case to be made that Ebiketie was Penn State's best defensive player this season, and that's noteworthy considering the other names on that side of the ball. He finished third in the Big Ten with 9.5 sacks and second with 18 tack- les for loss. Ebiketie also blocked two kicks and forced two fumbles. He certainly has the athletic makeup of a player who can succeed as an NFL pass rusher. S Jaquan Brisker — projected second-round pick It's not difficult to find a projection with Brisker in the first round, and the same can be said for Ebiketie and Smith. McShay, however, has him in the back half of the second, after earning a first-team All-Big Ten nod in 2021. Brisker ended up with 63 tackles, five pass breakups, a fumble recovery and two picks this season. He also added six tackles for loss, doubling his total from a year ago. CB Tariq Castro-Fields — projected third-round pick Castro-Fields achieved his goal of staying healthy throughout 2021, and Penn State's pass defense was better for it. He was targeted 47 times according to Pro Football Focus, allowing 26 receptions for 335 yards and only one touchdown. DE/LB Jesse Luketa — projected fourth-round pick Luketa split time between defensive end and linebacker this past season, with the majority of those snaps coming at end. PSU's coaching staff has said more than once that it feels end is where Luketa has the brightest future. OTHER PENN STATE DRAFT HOPEFULS OL Mike Miranda: McShay has Miranda at 255th overall. He struggled in 2021, and he hasn't stated publicly yet whether he will enter the draft. LB Ellis Brooks: Tabbed by McShay as the No. 306 overall prospect in the draft, Brooks made a considerable leap forward with 100 tackles in his senior season. P/K Jordan Stout: Stout turned himself into an elite punter in 2021, becoming a massive asset for PSU. Punting jobs are hard to land, but he should get a look. OL Rasheed Walker: Walker didn't earn a place in McShay's rankings. Once viewed as a potential early round pick, his stock declined this season. DT Derrick Tangelo: Tangelo proved to be a solid contributor for the Lions in 2021. The Duke transfer played in 11 games, making 29 tackles and 5.5 TFLs. – David Eckert Dotson Viewed As Likely First-Rounder In Draft Projections