Top five draft targets on Penn State roster
There’s a reason that Penn State is a dark horse to push for a Big Ten title and a potential berth in the College Football playoff; They’re loaded. The team is as deep and talented as any under head coach James Franklin, especially on defense.
So when we’re breaking down the top five draft eligible players from this roster, there are too many names on the cutting room floor. KeAndre Lambert-Smith is a player to watch this fall who could bloom in his fourth season on campus. Similarly, we should watch out for Dante Cephas as a player that NFL teams will like as a mid-round pick. Let’s not forget that left guard Landon Tengwall is also draft eligible this year. With an elite season, he might jump early in his career.
But those players don’t make the list. Let’s get down to the five players that draft experts target right now off the Penn State roster.
Penn State prospect Honorable Mention
Adisa Isaac
Adisa Isaac can’t be left totally off the list, but he’s just behind the top five. The redshirt senior edge rusher needs to prove that he’s fully back from his Achilles injury two seasons ago and has the same explosiveness he did early in his career. He was good last year but didn’t stick out from a production or play standpoint. At 254 pounds, Isaac must prove he’s more than just a speed rusher. He can do all of those things this fall on a defense that can highlight his abilities.
5) Theo Johnson
It’s hard for a tight end to move into the first round because the NFL only values the freaks of the position that way. Game-changing players who can make dynamic things happen with the ball in their hands are drafted early. If he can finally stay healthy, Theo Johnson is that freak player. At 6-6 264 pounds, Theo Johnson reportedly runs a 4.54 40-yard dash. That sort of freaky athleticism, plus his deep-ball skills, could push Johnson into the first round. After all, the baseline for a Penn State tight end lately is the second round. Johnson has the tools to be a complete player if he can be more consistent as a blocker.
4) Curtis Jacobs
Curtis Jacobs worked this offseason to play around 235 pounds and garnered some buzz this offseason as a potential sleeper in the upcoming draft. The NFL wants linebackers that can cover, and Jacobs fits the bill perfectly. Jacobs allowed an NFL passer rating of 61.0 into his coverage last year. That number is good for 15th among draft-eligible linebackers with 200 coverage snaps in 2022. He also runs a 4.49 40-yard dash, according to the Penn State speed leaderboard.
That extra weight will allow him to play more consistently in the box ad shouldn’t hamper his movement skills in space. Despite the focus on Abdul Carter, Jacobs can make big moves this fall with a strong season.
3) Chop Robinson
If he stays healthy, Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson should have first-round consideration by the end of the 2023 season. The hyper-athletic defensive end is freakishly fast and told reporters that he’s up 15 pounds and weighs around 255 pounds this season. He’s already put up an elite pass-rushing season without those added tools, but now he’s capable of more.
“Honestly, when you’re rushing the passer, you can’t always use a speed move. You’ve got to use a bullrush sometimes, and if you’re not up in that weight, that bull rush move isn’t going to work. Me adding this weight, I feel like I’ll pull a few more tricks out of my bag,” Robinson said.
Robinson is already a second-round pick by most mock draft services and has the skills to climb higher.
2) Kalen King
Penn State’s top cornerback from last season might not have been Joey Porter Jr. Certainly, by the end of the season, Kalen King has established himself as a premier player in the nation. While King may lack overwhelming physical traits like size or blazing speed, his positional skills are off the charts. Those skills helped him finish third nationally with 21 passes defended last year. As always, there’s a chance that the NFL may overlook a Penn State defensive back, but King will make it hard.
1) Olu Fashanu
At this point, every Penn State fan and most casual football fans know about Olu Fashanu. Thanks to a solid start to his 2022 season, the third-year left tackle rushed out to a national view as a potential first-round pick. Some experts even mocked him inside the top ten. Fortunately for the Nittany Lions, Fashanu returned to Happy Valley for one more season.
The interesting part of Fashanu’s profile from a year ago is that it was based on projection. The then 19-year-old Penn State left tackle showed elite traits but didn’t dominate in any area the way you’d expect a top pick to dominate. This season he’s more than capable of living up to the hype from last season and becoming that player everyone projected. If he avoids injuries, Fashanu should hear his name called in the first few hours of the draft next spring.
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