Tag: Adisa Isaac

Latest first-round mock draft has Joey Porter Jr. headed to AFC East team

Mock Draft: Penn State’s Joey Porter Jr. could be a first-round draft pick for this AFC East team

Penn State got blown out by Michigan this past weekend 41-17. The Wolverines had a slim lead at the half but came out in the second half with a statement win over the Nittany Lions.

Penn State has some crucial games ahead of them, including Minnesota and Ohio State.

Taking a look at some of the notable draft prospects for the Nittany Lions, we have seen some surprise names featured in first-round mock drafts. Defensive end [autotag]Adisa Isaac[/autotag] is one of them. The most recent one is offensive tackle [autotag]Olumuyiwa Fashanu[/autotag].

However, it’s mock draft Monday and The Draft Network released their weekly Sunday night mock draft. In there, a familiar name is featured. Joey Porter Jr.

The Draft Network has [autotag]Joey Porter Jr.[/autotag] headed to the New England Patriots with the 16th overall pick. Let’s break this one down.

The Patriots have quite a bit of needs and cornerback is one of them. They haven’t had a solidified corner since Stephon Gilmore.

They also have a lot of youth in their cornerback room. They have Jalen Mills under contract until 2025, but he does have a potential out in 2023.

On top of that, Jonathan Jones is also a free agent after this season. So, you can see that the Patriots are struggling in their cornerback room.

As mentioned, the Patriots have plenty of holes to fill. They could certainly address their offensive line, secondary, wide receiver. They are a team that can really go anywhere with their first-round pick and it wouldn’t not make sense. They are a rebuilding team that has lost a lot of talent throughout the years.

Going with cornerback would make a ton of sense for the Patriots. If Mills opts in for next season, you would have a duo with plenty of potential. They would also need to add more depth in their cornerback room for next season, especially if Jones leaves for free agency.

The Patriots are currently ranked 13th in overall defense in the league, and they have also won two straight with rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe. They have also given up an average of 218.8 passing yards per game.

However, they still have plenty of holes to fill and they also need another focal point on their defense.

They did spend money two offseasons ago, with Matthew Judon being one of their notable signings. However, other players like Devin McCourty are only getting older, and Porter Jr. would not only sure up their cornerback room, but he also has all the tangibles to be a star at the next level.

As mentioned, the Patriots haven’t had a solidified cornerback since Gilmore. However, Porter Jr. might just be the answer to those struggles of finding one as well as an identity for the future of their secondary room.

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Instant Reaction: Penn State dominates Auburn in 41-12 blowout

Instant reaction: Penn State puts on dominating display at Auburn, 41-12

It took a little bit of time to establish its dominance over Auburn, but Penn State took full control of the Tigers and the crowd at Jordan-Hare Stadium in the second half. Penn State outscored the Tigers 24-7 after halftime en route to an eye-opening 41-12 victory on the road down south on Saturday.

Freshmen running backs [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] (124 yards, two touchdowns) and [autotag]Kaytron Allen[/autotag] (52 yards, two touchdowns) led the charge on offense, but the defense was the big story of the game for the Nittany Lions. [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag] dialed up a defensive gameplan that gave up some chunk plays in the first half but limited Auburn to two red zone drives resulting in just two field goals after the Tigers were knocking on the goal line.

Penn State’s defense also forced four turnovers with a pair of interceptions and a pair of fumble recoveries in the game. [autotag]Ji’Ayir Brown[/autotag] and [autotag]Zakee Wheatley[/autotag] each came up with interceptions in the game to stall what could have been promising Auburn scoring drives.

[autotag]Adisa Isaac[/autotag] was a standout performer as well as he showed relentless pursuit against Auburn quarterback TJ Finley, who did not finish the game as the Tigers quarterback. Linebackers [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag] and [autotag]Curtis Jacobs[/autotag] each had some big moments as well as the defense was on fire in the second half. [autotag]Kalen King[/autotag] made some big pass breakups as well.

This was a full team victory all over the roster, and this could be a springboard to bigger things down the line for the Nittany Lions.

Next up for Penn State is one more non-conference matchup before jumping back into Big Ten play. Penn State will host Central Michigan next Saturday for a noon kickoff in Beaver Stadium.

Auburn will hope for a rebound next weekend with their SEC opener at home against Missouri.

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Best photos from Penn State’s blowout win at Auburn

Check out these photos from Penn State’s blowout win at Auburn!

It was supposed to be a close contest, but Penn State blew the doors open on Auburn down in Jordan-Hare Stadium in their Week 3 matchup on Saturday. Penn State put the game well out of reach in the second half against the Tigers with an incredible showing from freshmen running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen and a feisty performance from the defense.

You could not have scripted a better trip into SEC territory for Penn State, even if Auburn is a team in need of some rebuilding. Leaving Auburn with a win is still something to be proud of, especially in the fashion in which it went down.

Here are some of the best photos from Penn State’s blowout win over the Tigers.

Surprise! A new Penn State name earns first-round mock draft status

Find out which Penn State defensive star is getting some first-round consideration in a brand new mock draft.

It’s week one of college football and we are continuing to see 2023 NFL mock drafts. We have seen a few of [autotag]Parker Washington[/autotag], but the majority of them have featured [autotag]Joey Porter Jr.[/autotag] in the first round.

This week, we have a new Nittany Lion in the first round headed to the Seattle Seahawks with the 24th overall pick. That pick is coming from the Denver Broncos in the Russell Wilson trade. Who might that player be?

That player is Penn State edge rusher Adisa Isaac in a new mock draft from Sports Illustrated.

The 24th pick to Seattle should be familiar to many. That’s because last week we highlighted Joey Porter Jr. to Seattle with the 24th overall pick.

First, let’s break down Isaac as a player. The upside is certainly there, but there is a lot of potential that Penn State may have not unlocked yet. But that could very well be the season where he takes that drastic leap. In terms of the team, this is a total Seattle pick.

Isaac does make sense to Seattle, but one could argue that there are better players at that position out there that Seattle could target like Georgia’s Nolan Smith or Iowa State’s Will McDonald IV.

Does Isaac have the talent to pop off this season? Absolutely. Nittany Lions without both Arnold Ebiketie and Jesse Luketa, as both departed for the NFL. As mentioned earlier, Seattle needs a lot of help on the defensive side of the ball. So a pass rusher would make a lot of sense for them.

As a player, Isaac is both athletic and physical. Something that stood out to Ebiketie’s game was that he had impressive bend off the edge. That is something that Isaac does well with too.

In terms of Seattle’s edge rusher room, they’re not very deep. They did trade for veteran edge rusher Shelby Harris, which will certainly help them. But outside of that, there are quite a bit of question marks. They took LJ Collier in the first round in 2019. He hasn’t really shown enough to be that reliable pass rusher. There were rumors last year that he could’ve even been a trade piece.

So, pass rush would be a perfect position for Seattle to go after. Really anything on their defense. Isaac is an interesting pick.

With both Luketa and Ebiketie gone, this is a perfect opportunity for Isaac to really make that jump in production in 2022.

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Penn State photos: Adisa Isaac ready for bounce-back 2022

Best photos of Penn State defensive end Adisa Isaac, one of the top players to watch in 2022.

Penn State’s defensive line has the potential to be an incredibly effective unit from end to end. Even after sending off one player to a second-round draft pick ([autotag]Arnold Ebiketie[/autotag]), the defensive end position still packs plenty of power and athleticism on the edge of the line. One player hoping to secure a starting job at the vacant position left by Ebiketie is [autotag]Adisa Isaac[/autotag].

Isaac was on track to be one of Penn State’s most important cogs in the defense in 2021, but he was sidelined with an injury prior to the season for the entire year. Now Isaac is one of two players returning from injury hoping to create a big impact on the defensive line, with defensive tackle [autotag]PJ Mustipher[/autotag] being the other.

Here are some of the best photos of Adisa Isaac so far during his time at Penn State.

Penn State snapshot profile: No. 20 Adisa Isaac

Adisa Isaac’s promising 2021 never got a chance to live. Now, 2022 could be a big year for the Penn State DE. Snapshot profile of Isaac.

Going into the 2022 football season, Nittany Lions Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Penn State roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] this season.

Adisa Isaac is one of the key players to watch in 2022 for the Penn State defense. After suffering a season-ending injury prior to the start of the season, Isaac’s 2021never got a chance to live up to the hype that was building coming off of the 2020 season. So now, in 2022, Isaac could make up for some lost time in a big role for the Nittany Lions defense.

Here is a snapshot look at one of Penn State’s key defensive players in 2022.

Blue-White Game Report Card: Grading Penn State’s spring football game

The grades are in for Penn State’s performance in the Blue-White Game.

Penn State’s spring game wasn’t exactly lighting up the scoreboard, even in a modified scoring system. And fans wanting to see drastic improvement from the program that has gone .500 over the past two seasons may be left wondering if Penn State is set up for another mediocre season in Happy Valley after watching the Blue-White Game. But Penn State’s final spring practice of the year had some positive developments and some reminders that help is on the way over the summer.

And now the grades are in for Penn State’s performance during the Blue-White Game. Here’s how each position group was graded for the spring game in Beaver Stadium on Saturday.

Quarterback: C

Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

A recurring theme when it comes to the offensive grades following Penn State’s game is probably chalked up to a simple “Eh, it could have been better.” That was the basic takeaway from the performance of the quarterbacks overall, but any expectation of any passer just lighting up the spring game may have been unreasonable.

We were never likely to see a whole lot out of [autotag]Sean Clifford[/autotag], the sixth-year senior who really has little more to prove at this point. We know pretty much exactly what Clifford is, and if given time to process the field, he can make plays. But he had some overthrown passes at times. He did, however, throw the game’s only touchdown of the game.

The backup competition behind Clifford is the real storyline here, and the future of [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] is what fans are eager to witness. But a rough spring debut for the true freshman shows there is still work to be done in the big picture. If based solely on one afternoon, [autotag]Christian Veilleux[/autotag] proved he should be the team’s primary backup option heading into the season, although Allar should improve quickly.

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Next: Grading the running backs

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Inside the Box Score: The key stats from Penn State’s Blue-White Game

Inside the box score with some key stats from Penn State’s Blue-White Game.

Penn State’s Blue-White Game showed the Nittany Lions are still a bit of a work in progress in some key areas, but there were still some players and developments worth being optimistic about moving into the summer. And the final box score from a spring scrimmage like Penn State’s can oftentimes be misleading or unnecessarily overanalyzed. Nonetheless, it is a starting point for evaluating just where the Nittany Lions are heading once the 2022 season begins.

So, with the caution of not wanting to get too carried away with the official stats shared by Penn State from the Blue-White Game on Saturday afternoon, let’s dive headfirst into the key stats from the final spring practice of the season before Penn State moves to the next stage of its offseason.

And why not start with the quarterback position?

Quarterbacks

Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
  • [autotag]Christian Veilleux[/autotag]: 5-of-14, 75 yards
  • [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag]: 6-of-14, 61 yards, 2 interceptions, 1 sack
  • [autotag]Sean Clifford[/autotag]: 4-of-7, 41 yards, 1 touchdown
  • [autotag]Beau Pribula[/autotag]: 2-of-3, 7 yards, 2 sacks

Sean Clifford had some decent production in his time on the field, including the game’s only touchdown pass (to transfer addition Mitchell Tinsley. Clifford also had the best performance from passers in seven-on-seven drills, for whatever that is worth.

Christian Veilleux had the most complete performance among those vying for backup consideration to Clifford. This could have been expected given he already has some in-game experience from last season.

Don’t get too down when reviewing the stat line for five-star quarterback Drew Allar, because he was not given much help at times by his receivers dropping passes or having a ball bounce off their hands. But he did have a number of throws that seemed to be just a tad behind his intended targets. And Beau Pribula also had some freshman moments, which was to be expected.

NEXT: Who were the top running backs in the Blue-White Game?

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PJ Mustipher finding other ways to lead while continuing rehab

New Penn State defensive cooridnator Manny Diaz is among those impressed with the leadership of rehabbing PJ Mustipher this spring.

Penn State’s defensive line has been a fairly consistent unit over the years, and one where the ability to create playmakers has been demonstrated routinely. A year removed from sending [autotag]Odafe Oweh[/autotag] off to the first round of the NFL draft, the eyes are on [autotag]Arnold Ebiketie[/autotag] to see if he can sneak into the first round of the 2022 NFL draft. Meanwhile, in State College, [autotag]PJ Mustipher[/autotag] is coming back for one more season with Penn State with the hopes of becoming another early-round draft pick. But before that, he needs to continue rehabbing from a knee injury that has placed him on the sidelines this spring.

Despite being inactive on the practice field, Mustipher has been providing the kind of leadership that he will be relied on in his sixth season of eligibility. And it did not take long for Mustipher to show new defensive coordinator [autotag]Manny Diaz[/autotag] why he will be a valuable asset to the defensive line.

“[Mustipher] is not even practicing but, man, you feel his presence every day,” Diaz said to reporters, according to Lions 247. “And he makes sure that he’s on the defensive lineman. He’s on the defense in general.”

Mustipher has been helping to keep his teammates fired up and driving to improve this spring. Among those benefitting from Mustipher’s leadership and encouragement has been newcomer Zane Durant, who has been raising eyebrows this spring after enrolling early with other members of the Class of 2022.

The defensive line looks to be one of the most exciting position groups for Penn State in 2022, and the eventual return of a healthy Mustipher will be a key part of that equation. The early opportunity for Durant to get involved will be helpful, as will the eventual arrivals of [autotag]Dani Dennis-Sutton[/autotag] (five-star addition in the Class of 2022) and Maryland transfer [autotag]Demeioun Robinson[/autotag].

Despite not having any of those three players in the Blue-White Game, the entire defensive line unit will be worth watching in the Penn State spring game. The unit did lose promising Zuriah Fisher for the 2022 season due to a spring injury recently, but eyes will be on [autotag]Adisa Isaac[/autotag] (who is coming off his own injury from last season) and [autotag]Nick Tarburton[/autotag]. The Blue-White Game should also be a good opportunity for other players to get some good playing time, including [autotag]Smith Vilbert[/autotag], [autotag]Rodney McGraw[/autotag], and [autotag]Amin Vanover[/autotag].

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Where are they now? Penn State football’s Class of 2019

Here is where every player from Penn State’s Class of 2019 sits today, four years later

The 2022 college football season will mark the fourth year since the Class of 2019 was signed by Penn State. One of the top classes in the Big Ten, coming in at No. 2 in the conference according to 247 Sports, Penn State’s recruiting haul for 2019 was certainly full of potential for big things. And entering 2022, some of those players signed by the Nittany Lions are living the dream while others are looking for some clean starts, and others remain in Happy Valley hoping to end their college careers on a high note.

With so much happening in the offseason, we thought it would be a good idea to take a look back at Penn State’s Class of 2019 to see where everyone is currently stands.