What do new positional rankings say about NFL Draft chances for former Penn State players?

Penn State saw eight of its former players picked in last year’s NFL Draft. Six went in 2021 pro selection process, which was the program’s previous high in the James Franklin era.

How many one-time Lions will find a home at the next level during the three-day, seven-round extravaganza that is scheduled to take place April 27-29 in Kansas City?

The latest media positional rankings are in ahead of Sunday’s NFLPA Bowl. The East-West Shrine Bowl (Feb. 2) and Senior Bowl (Feb. 4) come after that to provide two more evaluation opportunities for NFL hopefuls. Then, the NFL Combine will likely shake the rankings up again before pro days do the same. Then, before we know it, draft weekend will be here.

Here’s where things stand now for a number of Nittany Lions.

Penn State corner Joey Porter Jr.

The highlight of this year’s Penn State draft class, Porter Jr., is projected to go in the first round. It’s why he opted out of the Rose Bowl. Dane Brugler of The Athletic calls him the draft’s No. 2 corner behind only Christian Gonzalez of Oregon and ahead of Illinois’ Devon Witherspoon. Mel Kiper Jr., at ESPN, meanwhile, has Witherspoon one, Porter Jr., two, and Gonzalez three.

“This cornerback class is going to be in a tight race all the way until April’s draft,” Kiper Jr., writes. “I’m a fan of Porter, a lanky and physical defender who can reroute receivers with the best of them. He is aggressive, though he has just one career interception in 30 career starts.

“With all corners, the testing numbers at the combine will really matter, but I like what I see from Porter on tape.”

Lions’ safety Ji’Ayir Brown

Ji’Ayir Brown, who is no longer listed on the roster for either the East-West Shrine Bowl or the Senior Bowl despite previously accepting an invitation to both. The reason why is unclear. But, regardless, not being there will not help his draft stock, which is all over the board despite his high-level production in college.

Brugler of The Athletic calls Brown his No. 9 safety. Kiper Jr., meanwhile, has him at No. 3. With no all-star game appearances on the docket, Brown’s performance at Pro Day and the NFL Combine, assuming he is invited, will be deciding factors in whether he can slide into Round 3 or if he is a Day 3 selection.

Penn State receivers Parker Washington and Mitchell Tinsley

Parker Washington left Penn State early for the NFL despite a late-season injury that will keep him sidelined for a bit longer. Mitchell Tinsley, meanwhile, had one good season with the Lions before running out of eligibility.

Tinsley is at the NFLPA Bowl with hopes of raising his stock. He is not listed as a top-10 or top-15 receiver by either Brugler or Kiper Jr., at this stage. Washington, on the other hand, is the No. 12 receiver in the Draft, per The Athletic.

NFLPA BOWL:

Welcome to the PSU WR Mitchell Tinsley Show 🚀

– I had to stop filming to help @mitchtinsley15 up after the acrobatic TD reception that literally landed him in a Rose Bowl ditch. 👀

– Mr. Back Judge requested an instant-replay on his out of bounds call

Thoughts?🤔 pic.twitter.com/EPAAC3JtmH

— Eric Froton (@CFFroton) January 26, 2023

Lions center Juice Scruggs

Juice Scruggs also could have come back but opted to move on after five seasons in college. He played guard and center for the Lions. His versatility aids his chances to be selected late on Day 3. Kiper Jr., calls him the 10th-best center in the draft. Brugler does not list him among the top interior linemen but does have this to say: “It is an underwhelming center class this year, without any prospects considered locks to land in the top 100 picks.”

In other words, many teams will fall in love with a player that most of the rest do not like. Scruggs just needs one franchise to feel that way about him to find a home.

Penn State tight end Brenton Strange

Like Scruggs, Brenton Strange also could have returned for another year. But, he’s hoping to parlay four seasons at Penn State into a spot in the draft. He’s considered the No. 11 tight end by Brugler and is just outside of Kiper Jr.’s top 10, landing in the “just missed” category. Penn State players always tend to test well at the Combine. If invited, Strange feels like the player who could surprise NFL teams and shoot up draft boards this year as other Lions have done before him.

Lions long snapper Chris Stoll

Only a handful of long snappers have been drafted over the last decade. Could Chris Stoll be the latest? The Mannelly Award winner put his best foot forward for that to be the case during his time at Penn State. He is Kiper Jr.’s No. 3 player at his position at this juncture.

Final word

Penn State is unlikely to break the Franklin era record for draft picks this year. But, landing five or six of its former players in the pros via the draft does not feel like a stretch. That said, we’ll know much more in two months time.