Latest ESPN mock draft tabs Penn State's Jahan Dotson, Jaquan Brisker as first round picks
A pair of Penn State football players could hear their names called in the first round of this spring’s NFL Draft., according to one ESPN projection.
ESPN analyst Jordan Reid tabbed wideout Jahan Dotson and safety Jaquan Brisker as first-round draft selections in an updated mock draft released this week.
Reid projected Dotson as a draft choice of the New Orleans Saints at No. 21 overall.
New Orleans lacks talent at wideout, especially with Michael Thomas sidelined for the season. Reid praised Dotson’s hands and catch radius, noting that his route-running skills would fit well with Sean Payton’s offense.
Dotson’s production doesn’t lie. The star Penn State wideout has 993 receiving yards and nine touchdowns to his name through 10 games this season. He is the engine that makes Penn State’s offense go.
Dotson recently broke the Nittany Lion single-game receiving yardage record. The senior put up 242 yards against Maryland in early November, smashing the record previously held by Deon Butler.
“He’s just crafty,” Penn State corner Tariq Castro-Fields said of Dotson. “He has a lot of tricks in his book. His release game is crazy. He knows manipulation, as far as getting in blind spots.”
Brisker is somewhat more polarizing among NFL Draft experts, but Reid is high on him. He tabbed Brisker to hear his name called 28th overall by the Dallas Cowboys.
For Dallas, that would mean selecting Penn State defenders in the first round in back-to-back drafts. Micah Parsons, the odds on favorite to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award, seems to have worked out well enough for them.
Reid highlighted a need at safety the Cowboys, and noted that Brisker is active in the secondary and has also proven to be versatile.
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Brisker is the highest-graded defensive back on Penn State’s defense by Pro Football Focus.
“On the field, I feel like I’ve developed by trusting my instincts more and just playing fast,” Brisker said earlier this week. “Reading my keys, striking and getting off blocks.”
Opposing quarterbacks have posted a 43.1 passer rating when targeting Brisker’s man in coverage. In total, Pro Football Focus credits him with four pass breakups. He’s also come down with a pair of interceptions this season, giving him five for his Penn State career.
ESPN Draft Analyst Mel Kiper updated his big board last week, which listed Dotson as the No. 14 overall prospect and the No. 3 wideout.
Kiper also included Penn State linebacker Brandon Smith in his rankings, coming in at No. 23.
In his positional rankings, Arnold Ebiketie also makes an appearance. Kiper projects him as the No. 6 outside linebacker in the draft.
At safety, two Nittany Lions crack the top-10. Kiper has Brisker at No. 3 and Ji’Ayir Brown at No. 6.
Penn State special teams utility infielder Jordan Stout is Kiper’s third-ranked kicker/punter. PJ Mustipher also cracked the rankings as the No. 10 defensive tackle.
