Tracking Penn State player plans for the Peach Bowl, NFL Draft

STATE COLLEGE — No. 10 Penn State should be mostly at full strength for its Dec. 30 Peach Bowl matchup with No. 11 Ole Miss. Numerous Nittany Lions with stay-or-go decisions to make told reporters Friday here at Beaver Stadium during local bowl media day that they will travel with the Lions to Atlanta and make their NFL Draft decisions after the game. Here’s a rundown:

Lions tackle Olu Fashanu said he is undecided about both playing in the game and his decision to leave for the NFL or come back for another year. He is expected to leave. Whether or not he will play in the Peach Bowl is up in the air. It feels unlikely. But, he is practicing with the team and will travel to Atlanta.

Penn State end Adisa Isaac said as a captain, he feels like he has a responsibility to both be with his team at the Peach Bowl and play in it. But, logic dictates that he will be on a snap count. He has not yet made a stay-or-go decision.

Lions tight end Tyler Warren will play in the Peach Bowl. But, he was not yet ready to reveal his future plans beyond that.

Lions cornerback Daequan Hardy is playing in the Peach Bowl. But, he, too, has not yet made his stay-or-go decision public. He has the COVID extra year of eligibility remaining.

Lions linebacker Curtis Jacobs, is declaring for the Draft but will play in the bowl game.

What about the others?

The list above is only reflective of the players who were made available at Friday’s local media day. Other Penn State players who would have been asked the same question if available include cornerbacks Kalen King and Johnny Dixon, offensive linemen Sal Wormley and Caedan Wallace, receivers Dante Cephas and KeAndre Lambert-Smith, and running back Trey Potts. We’ll see if any of them are available in Atlanta. That is the next time the progam is set to make any players available.

Beyond that, we already know two other details. Chop Robinson won’t play in the Peach Bowl and is off to the NFL Draft. And, tight end Theo Johnson will play but has already declared for the Draft.

Penn State players can accomplish two objections in the Peach Bowl

Speaking Monday at a different news conference, Lions head coach James Franklin noted that players who suit up for the Peach Bowl, even if they are leaving for the NFL after the game, can accomplish two things by doing so.

“We’re going to work with these guys as well,” Franklin said. “And we’ve done that, really, since I’ve been here. I remember we had a specific plan for Saquon Barkley. Who, was going to be maybe the number one pick in the draft. And, ended up falling all the way to number two. But there were conversations with Saquon and his family about how we were going to manage the practices, how we were going to manage the game, and all those types of things. And I think what you’d like to do in a lot of ways is, I’m still a big believer that a game like this, the Chick Fil A Peach Bowl, and against this type of opponent, Ole Miss and what Lane [Kiffin] has built there, these games are about creating value for the student-athletes.

“And, I still believe that this game for most of them, creates an opportunity. Obviously, for us to finish this thing as a family, and as a team and represent Penn State one more time, but also, create more value for themselves. You go out and have a great Peach Bowl game in that type of venue, in that setting, against this type of opponent on national television, I think it can really help the student athlete and what they’re trying to do for their future in the NFL as well. And that has to be factored into all of this.”