Pair of Penn State players expected to 'show off' and one will 'go off' at NFL Combine: Newsstand
Penn State news, notes, and updates for Feb. 27 include an NFL Combine preview, headlines of the day, and more.
It’s time to dive into Tuesday’s top tweets and headlines about the Nittany Lions and college athletics.
Penn State tweets of the day
We start with a look ahead to the NFL Combine. Media interviews start Wednesday in Indianapolis and the action begins on the field Thursday at Lucas Oil Stadium. Bruce Feldman of The Athletic ranked the top 40 prospects who could “show off” during their day of on-field drills. Two Penn State players made the cut. Former Nittany Lions defensive end Chop Robinson was No. 1 on the list.
“The Nittany Lions produce a ton of players who star in Indy,” Feldman writes. “I think Robinson, a 6-3, 254-pound junior, will be the next. In 10 games in 2023, he had 7.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. There’s been some skepticism in draft chatter about whether Robinson actually merits first-round consideration. In draft analyst circles, Robinson has become polarizing.
“At Penn State, he measured in bigger than current Cowboys star Micah Parsons, and the coaches there thought he was perhaps just as fast, although matching Parsons’ 4.39 40 in Indy will be a big challenge. Robinson clocked a 4.47 last year, but he actually ran a quicker shuttle, 4.22 to Parsons’ 4.40. He also has a broad jump of 10-7 and bench press of 400 pounds. One source who has seen him in training this month predicted that Robinson “is going to go off at the combine” and will put up “absurd” numbers.”
Top 10
- 1New
Tom Brady helped land QB
Michigan got assist on Underwood
- 2
MSU TE hospitalized
Jack Velling injured on first possession
- 3
Rhett Lashlee
SMU coach gets extension
- 4
Justin Fields
OSU legend to make CGD picks
- 5Hot
Bryce Underwood
Michigan flips No. 1 QB Bryce Underwood from LSU
Offensive tackle Olu Fashanu, then, checked in at No. 12.
The 6-6, 320-pounder from Washington, D.C., has a chance to cement his status as a top O-lineman by displaying the same kind of agility he showed last offseason, running a 4.97 40 and a 4.63 shuttle time,” Feldman writes. “That 40 time would’ve tied for the best at last year’s combine for all offensive linemen.”
Headlines of the day
NFL Combine preview: Why Penn State DE Chop Robinson is one of the top prospects to watch: McGonigal, PennLive
Does Penn State wrestler Carter Starocci have to compete at Big Tens to make NCAAs?: Pickel, BWI
What to Watch From Penn State’s NFL Draft Class: Wogenrich, SI
One drill we’re interested in for each Penn State defensive player at the 2024 NFL Combine: Carr, BWI
Rich Lorenzo Looks Down College Sports’ NIL Path and Wonders When the Money Will Fail: Horlacher, Statecollege.com
Top 50 safety prospect JaDon Blair locks in Penn State visit for March: Snyder, BWI
Chop Robinson, Olu Fashanu: The Penn State football ‘Freaks’ at NFL Draft, combine: Bodani, YDR
Where do Penn State’s top 2025 targets rank in updated On300?: Snyder, BWI
Quote of the day
“If I was watching an offensive lineman in the Big Ten, Penn State was the first game that I popped on because I wanted to watch him against that front because not only are they really talented with Chop and with Adisa Isaac, but those guys play hard, man.
“I don’t know off the top of my head the D-line coach there. I know obviously the history there of having great defensive line coaches, but those guys play really, really hard, and they’re great to evaluate other players against. That was something that stood out watching those Penn State guys.”
–NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah on the PSU defensive line.
