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Penn State safety Ji'Ayir Brown accepts Senior Bowl invitation

Fitz headshot croppedby:Sean Fitz•11/28/22•

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Safety Ji'Ayir Brown (Credit: Daniel Althouse/Blue White Illustrated)

Penn State safety Ji’Ayir Brown has accepted an invitation to play in the Senior Bowl following the 2022 season. The game will be played on Saturday, Feb. 4 in Mobile, Alabama. Brown is the first Nittany Lion to publicly accept an invitation to play in the game. 

Brown’s decision marks the third-straight year a Penn State safety has accepted an invitation to play in the game. Jaquan Brisker opted out of the 2022 game with an injury and also accepted an invitation for the 2021 edition before returning to school for a fifth year. Jahan Dotson accepted but did not participate, Arnold Ebiketie and Tariq Castro-Fields both practiced but did not play in the game and Jesse Luketa and Jordan Stout were full participants in the game and the week leading up to it earlier this year. 

The former Junior College standout from Lackawanna College in Scranton, Pa., spent three years in the Nittany Lions’ secondary and he became one of the program’s top takeaway artists during his time on campus. Brown led the Nittany Lions in tackles this season with 66. That total included 5.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. Brown also led the team with three interceptions and tied for the team lead with two forced fumbles.

For his career, Brown has nine interceptions, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He also scored defensive touchdowns in each of the last two seasons. The Trenton, N.J., native was a team captain in 2022 and he started all 13 games at safety. He was the National Defensive Player of the Week following the Nittany Lions’ win over Auburn, in which he recorded an interception and had a strip-sack.

Brown was one of Penn State’s top leaders

Brown will be missed in Happy Valley not only due to his play, but also his leadership over the last two seasons. 

“I’ve said this before. I don’t think he’s getting enough attention,” Head coach James Franklin said earlier this month. “I don’t think enough people are talking about him when it comes to college football awards, when it comes to the NFL. His name should be all over the place. He plays his tail off. He makes his teammates better, he’s able to impact the game both in the run game and in the pass game. He’s a very well-rounded football player, and he’s been a phenomenal leader for us.

“A kid out of Trenton, New Jersey, went to Lackawanna Junior College, he got up and did his share Friday night at the hotel with the team. Just did a phenomenal job. He’s always got a smile on his face, he’s truly appreciative of this opportunity at Penn State, he’s got a really good way of being a great teammate to the guys in the locker room. But he also really understands how to interact with coaches and have a positive, healthy relationship with the coaches. He’s been phenomenal. I think him and P.J. [Mustipher] have been two of the better leaders that we’ve had in our program.”

Brown finished his regular season career with a team-high seven tackles and a forced fumble against Michigan State on Saturday. 

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