Tag: Bryant Johnson

Penn State’s all-time first-round NFL draft picks

Every Penn State football player ever drafted in the first round of the NFL draft in school history.

In the history of the NFL draft, only a handful of schools have had more players drafted by NFL franchises than Penn State. The Nittany Lions have sent over 360 players through the NFL draft over the years, and that number continues to climb every year. And when it comes to first-round picks, Penn State has had a solid number of those as well, including some top draft picks.

Lenny Moore, arguably the best player in Penn State football history, is appropriately the first player in program history to be selected by an NFL franchise in the NFL draft. Since then, Penn State players have been selected in the first round numerous times through the decades with players like Shane Conlan, Blair Thomas, Ki-Jana Carter, LaVar Arrington, Saquon Barkley, and Micah Parsons.

Here is a look at every first-round NFL draft pick in Penn State history, starting with the first.

2022 NFL Draft: Jahan Dotson drafted by Washington Commanders

Jahan Dotson was selected by Washington Commanders in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft.

One of Penn State’s top all-time wide receivers is now officially an NFL player. [autotag]Jahan Dotson[/autotag] was selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft by the Washington Commanders with the No. 16 pick in the first round.

Dotson accounted for 2,757 career receiving yards and 25 receiving touchdowns (27 total touchdowns) in four seasons with Penn State. Dotson is Penn State’s fourth all-time leader in career receiving yards and is tied for the second-most receiving touchdowns in school history. Only [autotag]Bobby Engram[/autotag] has more touchdowns than Dotson in Penn State history.

Dotson is the first wide receiver from Penn State to be selected in the first round since 2003 when [autotag]Bryant Johnson[/autotag] was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the 17th overall pick. Dotson is the fourth wide receiver from Penn State to ever be selected in the first round, joining Johnson, [autotag]O.J. McDuffie[/autotag] (1993, Miami Dolphins), and [autotag]Kenny Jackson[/autotag] (1984, Philadelphia Eagles).

Dotson is now the first wide receiver to be coached by James Franklin to be selected in the first round. Dotson is also Franklin’s highest-draft pick at receiver, beating out KJ Hamler (No. 46 overall in 2020) and Jordan Matthews (Vanderbilt, No. 42 overall in 2014).

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PHOTOS: Penn State’s first round NFL draft picks since joining the Big Ten

From LaVar Arrington and Kerry Collins to Saquon Barkley and Micah Parsons, Penn State has had some big names drafted in the first round by NFL teams over the years.

After seeing two players be selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft, with [autotag]Micah Parsons[/autotag] and [autotag]Odafe Oweh[/autotag], Penn State is hoping to see at least one more player go in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft. And there is a good chance a Nittany Lion will be selected in the first round with wide receiver [autotag]Jahan Dotson[/autotag] and defensive end [autotag]Arnold Ebiketie[/autotag] each being viewed as potential first-round selections.

Penn State has a history of developing NFL talent at all positions, but the school may not have quite as many first-round draft picks as you might have originally thought. Since joining the Big Ten in 1993, Penn State has had 19 players drafted in the first round of the NFL draft. Three players highlighted the top 10 of the 1995 draft following Penn State’s undefeated 1994 season. In 2003, Penn State players were selected with four first-round picks by NFL teams.

A Penn State player has been selected with the top overall pick twice in the Big Ten era of the program. Running back [autotag]Ki-Jana Carter[/autotag] was the first pick of the 1995 draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, who traded up to make the move. In 2003, Penn State’s massive defensive lineman [autotag]Courtney Brown[/autotag] was the first pick of the draft by the Cleveland Browns. His teammate, linebacker [autotag]LaVar Arrington[/autotag], followed as the No. 2 pick of Washington.

Here is a look at each first-round draft pick out of Penn State since the Nittany Lions joined the Big Ten.

Former Auburn assistant hired to Indianapolis Colts

Bryant Johnson coached at Auburn as a graduate assistant in 2021.

A former Auburn defensive assistant is heading to the NFL.

Brent Jackson, who served as a graduate assistant for the Tigers in 2021, is joining the Indianapolis Colts as a Defensive Quality Control coach. Jackson was initially set to coach at Oregon as a graduate assistant working with defensive backs after being hired by the Ducks in February.

Jackson started his career at Louisiana, spending four years there before moving to Illinois to coach the Fighting Illini for two years. He was hired to coach [autotag]Bryan Harsin[/autotag]’s staff in 2021 where he served as a graduate assistant. Auburn’s defense surrendered a decent 21.77 points and 372 yards per game, but the secondary that Johnson coached allowed the 12th-most passing yards per game with 245.6 yards game.

But in the midst of multiple program transfers and an exodus of staff during the offseason, he joined the Oregon Ducks at the start of the year to coach their secondary.

Indianapolis was quite literally the most average defense in the NFL last year, coming in at 16th of 32 teams in total defense. After the Colts recently traded for former Falcons QB Matt Ryan, they’ll look to improve their defensive unit in an attempt to contend with the rest of the AFC South.

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Former NFL scout ranks Jahan Dotson among top receivers in 2022 NFL draft

Where does Jahan Dotson rank among the top wide receive s in this year’s NFL draft according to a former scout?

At this point, it appears to be a consensus opinion that Penn State wide receiver [autotag]Jahan Dotson[/autotag] is one of the best wide receiver prospects in the draft pool for the 2022 NFL draft. But where he ranks compared to other top receivers in the draft pool is still up for debate. And we will ultimately see where he ranks in the minds of those that matter the most when the draft picks start coming off the board next month, but until then we are left to the opinions of those in the scouting community to determine just where Dotson stands among his peers.

One person with scouting experience agrees with the masses that Dotson is certainly one of the best receivers in the draft class, one that is super deep on top-tier receiver talent. Bucky Brooks recently updated his top five wide receivers for NFL.com for the upcoming draft, and it continues to include Dotson. Dotson appears at No. 4 on Brooks’ most recent update to his receiver rankings.

Here’s what Brooks says about Dotson;

Dotson is a “catch-and-run” specialist with outstanding speed, quickness and burst. The Penn State standout is a scheme-friendly playmaker capable of filling a variety of roles as an inside-outside threat.

Brooks’ top wide receiver in the draft is USC’s Drake London, with Alabama’s Jameson Williams behind him for No. 2. Dotson comes between Ohio State’s dynamic duo of Garrett Wilson (No. 3) and Chris Olave (No. 5).

“The top of the draft board at receiver is starting to resemble an ice cream shop, with so many blue-chip prospects sorted and stacked by different flavors,” Brooks says on NFL.com. “Whether a team is searching for a big-bodied pass-catcher with dynamic red-zone skills or a shifty route runner with big-play ability, the 2022 class has it all.”

Dotson appears to be a trendy option for a late first-round draft pick according to many updated mock drafts, which would make him the first wide receiver from Penn State to be a first-round draft pick since [autotag]Bryant Johnson[/autotag] in 2003 (No. 17 to Arizona Cardinals). [autotag]O.J. McDuffie[/autotag] (No. 25 to Miami Dolphins) and [autotag]Kenny Jackson[/autotag] (1984, No. 4 to Philadelphia Eagles) are the only other Penn State wide receivers in school history to be selected in the first round.

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Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Jahan Dotson moving his way up list of Penn State’s all-time leading receivers

Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson is projected to finish in the top 10 among Penn State’s all-time leading receivers.

Penn State wide receiver has commented on how he wants to be a legend like Saqon Barkley before he leaves the Nittany Lions. One step toward becoming a legend would be to move his way up the list of Penn State’s all-time leading receivers with one final and full season in 2021.

Dotson will begin the 2021 season already in the top 20 in the Penn State record books for most career receiving yards. Dotson is 17th on the all-time list at Penn State, just behind his former teammate KJ Hamler. Dotson would have to turn in a record-setting single-season performance for Penn State to climb to the top of the list, as he is 1,451 receiving yards away from the Penn State career record of 3,026 yards held by Bobby Engram. Allen Robinson holds the single-season receiving record with 1,432 yards in 2013.

With Dotson setting his own personal goal to leave Penn State with legendary status, here is a look at the top 20 players in Penn State history with the most career receiving yards.