Who will replace the production Penn State football lost to the 2022 NFL Draft?

Penn State had one of its most successful NFL Draft weekends in years to cap off April.

The Nittany Lions saw eight former players selected over the three-day, seven-round picking process that was held in Las Vegas, Nev. 

Receiver Jahan Dotson led the program off when he went No. 16 overall to the Washington Commanders in Round 1. Defender Jesse Luketa, then, wrapped things up as the No. 256 overall pick. He is now an Arizona Cardinal.

In between, one member of the 2021 offense went while four players from the defense did. Those are in addition to Jordan Stout, the do-it-all specialist who found a home in the fourth round when he was selected by the Baltimore Ravens.

All told, Penn State last had draft success like this in 1996, when 10 former Lions went. And, it continued a run of sending players to the next level that has seen at least five players drafted in five consecutive years for the first time since 1978-1984.

It’s the kind of information that Penn State will use to woo recruits both in the current cycle and down the road. But, let’s be honest for a second: All of the big numbers in the world will be quickly forgotten if the Lions cannot replace what they lost by the time Sept. 1 and a road trip to Purdue rolls around. 

It leads to a simple question: Can the Lions adequately replace the eight drafted players?

Breaking down the possible replacements for Penn State, Days 1-2

Starting with Day 1, Dotson is of course an immense loss. He returned for a final season in blue and white and flourished, which locked in his first-round chances. Penn State does not have a receiver who is likely to go in the first 32 picks next year at this exact moment. But, it has lots of hope for Parker Washington and transfer Mitchell Tinsley to fill the sizable void. Both have college-level production of note, but the former’s never been the top target of defenses while the latter hasn’t done it at the Power-5 level yet. Still, we’ll call the Dotson loss something Penn State can recover from. That’ll be especially so if KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Malick Meiga, or Harrison Wallace III explode onto the scene. 

Moving on to day two, end Arnold Ebiketie and safety Jaquan Brisker were both off the board quickly in round two to the Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears, respectively. Brisker’s replacement will be fellow former Lackawanna College Falcon Ji’Ayir Brown. Penn State is in good hands there. Finding equal or more production than Ebiketie (and Luketa) had at end, then, is a much bigger challenge. Adisa Isaac’s return is huge news but Zuriah Fisher’s season-ending injury suffered during spring practice hurts. If Maryland transfer Demeioun Robinson can realize his five-star potential from his recruiting days right away while Nick Tarburton has his best season to date, things could be even better for John Scott Jr.’s bunch. But, much will have to go right. 

A closer look at who could replace those who went on Day 3

Finally, the day three selections are usually easier to replace. But, that isn’t always the case. Penn State has a ready-made replacement for Brandon Smith, who went in Round 4 to the Carolina Panthers, in Jonathan Sutherland. The linebacker numbers are currently very thin, however, so losing Smith might hurt more from that perspective than any other player mentioned here but Stout. He’s an underrated departure. The Lions hope that perhaps a mixture of Jake Pinegar and Sander Sahaydak on field goals and kicks offs could get the job done while incoming freshman Alex Bacchetta or Colgate transfer Barney Amor handle the punting. However, we just won’t have those answers until early September, which should be concerning given how those positions have been solid for a few seasons now. 

At corner, then, Joey Porter Jr., Kalen King, and Daequan Hardy lead a talented room that can help make up for the loss of Tariq Castro-Fields to the San Francisco 49ers as a sixth-round selection. And, Olu Fashanu is ready to slot in for Rasheed Walker (Round 7, Green Bay Packers) at tackle. But, like with the linebacker situation, there is a depth problem at offensive tackle for the Lions.

Final word

Put it all together, and the view from this seat is that Penn State will be able to overcome the eight players it lost to the pros this spring. Some will be easier shoes to fill than others, though, and all of the replacements must be ready to shine at the Boilermakers’ Ross-Ade Stadium in a few months’ time.