Jahan Dotson hoping to follow in the footsteps of Penn State role models in the NFL
At the starting point of his own NFL journey, Jahan Dotson rattled off a list of former Penn State wide receivers who he’ll do his best to emulate.
Allen Robinson. Chris Godwin. KJ Hamler. DeaSean Hamilton.
“It’s a great line of receivers and I’m just trying to follow in their footsteps,” Dotson said, speaking to SiriusXM from the NFL Draft combine in Indianapolis.
Certainly, Nittany Lion wideouts have made an impact at the professional level as of late, with Godwin and Robinson becoming stars.
Godwin is due a big payday this offseason — despite a late-season knee injury. He’s posted nearly 3,300 yards over the last three seasons. Dealing with injuries, illness and a dysfunctional offense this season, Robinson had a down year. But, like Godwin, he’s been one of the league’s more impactful receivers since his rookie season. He has three 1,000-yard seasons in the last seven.
Over the years, Dotson has been sure to absorb whatever he can from Penn State’s NFL vets about their experiences.
“Basically, how to be a pro, and how to succeed at that level,” Dotson said. “We got a lot of guys who are succeeding at that level like ARob, Chris Godwin and KJ, so just making sure I get all the information that I can from those guys to be a better pro.”
Dotson also touted the time he spent studying film and learning the game with Sean Clifford as something that he believes can help him at the next level.
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Dotson makes the NFL leap after productive Penn State career
He ranks fourth all-time in receiving yardage at Penn State with 2,757, behind Bobby Engram, Hamilton and Deon Butler.
He accomplished the bulk of that production over the last two seasons, when he averaged nearly 100 receiving yards per game. Most of that yardage came from a wide position, but Dotson took about 20 percent of his snaps from the slot in 2021, too.
He’s been touting his ability to play in multiple spots when speaking to the media in Indianapolis.
“I would definitely say my versatility,” he told Sirius when asked about his biggest strengths. “Being able to move anywhere on the field, being a smart receiver, knowing what every guy’s doing on the field. Definitely my speed, taking the top off the defense is what I’m pretty much known for — being a deep threat guy.”
Outside of his Penn State role models, Dotson said he spends time studying Falcons wideout Calvin Ridley, as well as Packers star Davante Adams.
“Looking at the tools that he uses, he doesn’t do much, but he perfected it,” Dotson said of Adams. “That’s something my dad always talked about, just perfecting your craft. You don’t have to have a lot of things in your toolbox, but as long as you perfect it, you can’t be stopped.”
