Penn State and the NFL Draft Day 3 preview: How many Lions could go on the final day?
The third and final day of the NFL Draft has arrived. How many Penn State players could go off the board on Saturday?
That is the question of the day after the Nittany Lions already sent three players to the pros over the course of the first two days of the pro selection process.
Read on to learn more about what is expected over the course of Rounds 4-7.
When does Day 3 of the NFL Draft start?
The final stretch of this year’s NFL Draft begins with Round 4 at Noon ET.
Tampa Bay is slated to make the first pick. However, as we saw Friday night, trades are certainly a possibility.
ESPN, NFL Network, and ABC will again all televise the event from Las Vegas, Nev. The broadcast window runs until about 6 p.m. Then, the undrafted free agency process will begin.
How many Penn State players are off the board?
Between January and now, there was reason to believe that a handful of Penn State players would have a pro home by now. However, after 105 picks, only three former Nittany Lions have been selected.
Receiver Jahan Dotson was picked first, as he went 16th overall to the Washington Commanders in round one. Defensive end Arnold Ebiketie was then first off the board in Round 2. The former Penn State All-Big Ten selection went No. 38 overall to the Atlanta Falcons. The NFC South franchise traded up to land the Maryland native.
“We are extremely happy for AK to have earned this opportunity with the Atlanta Falcons,” Penn State coach James Franklin said in a released statement.
“When people talk about player development, AK is one of the first guys that comes to my mind. He arrived in Happy Valley as a talented player with collegiate experience; however, his willingness to buy into our system and culture really allowed him to take his game to the next level.”
Ten picks later, safety Jaquan Brisker was selected by the Chicago Bears. There is reason to believe he could find his way to the field quickly with the NFC North franchise.
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“Jaquan is a great athlete with great vision and toughness,” Penn State co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Anthony Poindexter said in a released statement.
“His game will really translate to the next level because of all the physical athletic traits he has. The Bears are getting a guy who loves the game, studies the game and is a heck of a football player.”
Who could go on Day 3?
As has been the case in many previous years, Penn State could see its highest number of players go off the board on Day 3.
One hundred and fifty-six picks remain in the NFL Draft. ESPN has five Lions inside that range on its long list of best available players. It includes tackle Rasheed Walker (No. 22), linebacker Brandon Smith (No. 27), corner Tariq Castro-Fields (No. 51), defender Jesse Luketa (No. 61), and specialist Jordan Stout (No. 77).
Of course, the final four rounds, especially the last two, come down to many factors. Team preference often leads the way. But, franchises often also pass on players late in the vein of trying to acquire as much talent as possible via both their picks and undrafted free agent contract offerings.
Penn State no longer looks likely to hit the double-digit drafted players mark as it once did earlier this week. But, there are still at least a handful of Lions who could hear their name called before all is said and done.
Stay tuned to Blue-White Illustrated for the latest updates throughout the afternoon and evening.
