NFL Draft 2024: Where will Penn State center Hunter Nourzad play first in the pros?

Penn State center Hunter Nourzad has realized his dream of hearing his name called during the 2024 NFL Draft. The Marietta, Ga., native will start his pro career in Kansas City, after the defending Super Bow Champion Chiefs selected him in Round 5 with the No. 159 overall selection.

Nourzad is the second former Nittany Lion center to go off the board in as many years after Juice Scruggs was a second-round pick of the Houston Texans in 2023. That duo, plus Michal Menet, make up the three centers who have been drafted in the James Franklin era at Penn State.

“Nourzad has the feel and footwork for all run-blocking schemes and is strong enough to deal with a 0-technique lined up over him,” NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in a pre-draft scouting report.

“While he’s strong on impact, he needs to be careful about playing too far out over his skis in order to keep from whiffing. His punch and anchor are where they need to be, but the Ohio State game showed he has work to do with twist recognition and response. Nourzad has early starter ability at center.”

Nourzad joins defensive end Arnold Ebiketie and punter Jordan Stout as former Penn State players who were drafted after joining the Nittany Lions via the transfer portal. He is the sixth former Penn State player to go off the board in the 2024. Nourzad follows tackle Olu Fashanu, who went at No. 11 to the New York Jets; defensive end Chop Robinson, who went to the Miami Dolphins with the No. 21 overall selection; Caedan Wallace, who went to the New England Patriots with the 68th overall pick, defensive end Adisa Isaac, who went at No. 93rd to The Baltimore Ravens, and tight end Theo Johnson, who went to the New York Giants at No. 107th overall.

Tracing Penn State center Hunter Nourzad’s path to the Draft

Of all the Penn State players who will go in the 2024 NFL Draft, Nourzad’s path to it might be the most interesting one. After starting 20 consecutive games at right tackle for Cornell between 2018 and 2021, the lineman joined the Nittany Lions ahead of the 2022 season. He played mostly guard during his first year in State College, totaling eight starts over 11 games and earned All-Big Ten honorable mention honors from the coaches and the media.

The plan all along was to move Nourzad to center for the 2023 slate, and it went mostly as planned. Despite some early snapping issues, the 6-foot-3, 317-pound blocker eventually settled in. His durability led him to start all 13 games last fall. And, his play earned him a second-team All-Big Ten nod from both the coaches and media. His ability to play both guard spots and center undoubtedly led to him going as soon as he did.

“As a football player, there’s a lot of stuff on tape that you can see,” Nourzad told PennLive at Penn State Pro Day. “(I’m) very aggressive, I think very controlled and smart, as well, when it comes to how I communicate on the field, especially when I’m playing center.

“And as a person, just somebody who’s going to go into an organization and really give them my all. I think that one of my characteristics and traits as a person is enjoying being part of something bigger than myself and doing everything that I can do to make that organization the best they can be, through my actions and through things I can control.”

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