Tag: Penn State

Penn State superstar Tyler Warren wears 44 for a reason

Penn State tight end Tyler Warren wears the number 44 for a special reason, and it’s one the Washington Commanders will want to hear.

The 2025 NFL draft is 10 weeks away and NFL teams and draft prospects alike are gearing up for the three-day event in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Washington Commanders have the 29th pick in this year’s draft, and speculation abounds over who they will select.

One of the names that has come up in some mock drafts is Tyler Warren, a tight end out of Penn State. He grew up in Mechanicsville, Virginia, and he wears the number 44 for a very special reason:

After telling Warren that he doesn’t think he’ll last until 29 when Washington picks, J.P. Finlay asks Warren about the reason he wears the number 44.

“I actually wore 44 because my dad sat me down when I was first starting football and said, ‘I want you to run the ball like John Riggins.’And he pulled out the YouTube videos of him running it, and that’s where the 44 came from and why I wore it.”

Growing up in Mechanicsville, Warren is a Commanders fan through and through. He is projected to get drafted in the top 15, but even if he falls to 29, he won’t be able to wear his beloved number 44 anymore. When Finlay mentioned that to Warren, he said, “That would be a fine trade-off.”

[lawrence-related id=111734,111729,110273]

Unpacking Future Packers: No. 84, Penn State LB Kobe King

Up next in the Unpacking Future Packers draft preview series is Penn State linebacker Kobe King, the brother of Packers CB Kalen King.

The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects who could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2025 NFL draft.

A year ago, the Green Bay Packers drafted Kalen King, a cornerback out of Penn State in the seventh round. The year before Brian Gutekunst drafted Sean Clifford, a quarterback from Penn State in the fifth round.

If Gutekunst goes back to Happy Valley again in the 2025 NFL Draft a potential target could be Kobe King, the brother of Kalen. The Penn State linebacker checks in at No. 84 in the Unpacking Future Packers Countdown.

A native of Michigan, King recorded 41 tackles, four tackles for loss and three pass deflections during his redshirt freshman season in 2022. The following season, King recorded 59 tackles, six tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

This past season the Nittany Lion linebacker recorded 97 tackles, nine tackles for loss and three sacks.

“King was a vocal and emotional leader for the Penn State defense in 2024,” Daniel Gallen, a Penn State reporter for Lions247 said. “King was voted a team captain before the season and he was also responsible for calling the defense as the mike linebacker with the green dot. He was productive as the team’s second-leading tackler while displaying an improved ability to make plays behind the line of scrimmage. King was a key presence of a unit that lost one of its other important pieces, safety KJ Winston, early in the season.”

King closes with purpose and accelerates downfield quickly. He has the quickness to cover a lot of real estate and competes with the necessary tenacity as a downhill enforcer. This past season he showed improvement in processing the action in front of him and finished the season with a career high 46 run stops.

Video Player

“King is built like a traditional downhill thumper at 6-foot-1 and 248 pounds, and he might have played the season with a couple more pounds on his frame,” Gallen said. “He’s not afraid of contact, and he delivered some quality hits this season. I thought he did well to ID at the snap and put himself in the right position to make plays.”

King’s role early in his career will be a two-down thumper. He was often caught flat-footed in coverage. This past season he was often on the sideline on third downs and that could be his role at the next level. With his length and movement skills, he could continue to progress in coverage.

“This might be King’s weaker area,” Gallen said. “He got exposed against Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl, and his Pro Football Focus numbers aren’t the kindest towards him. Overall, I think he’s a savvy player who knows his limitations, but every once in a while, he could end up in a tough position.”

Fit with the Packers

A year ago the Packers used a pair of Top 100 picks on the linebacker position. With Quay Walker, Edgerrin Cooper and Ty’Ron Hopper under contract, it’s unlikely that Gutekunst will use another Top 100 pick on the position in the upcoming draft.

That’s where King enters the chat. The Penn State linebacker is likely to go on Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft.

With his play speed, length and improved feel for the game, King has the requisite skill set that could put him on Green Bay’s board to start Day 3 as they look to add depth to the linebacker room.

“If your team needs a vocal presence in the middle of its defense, then King should be an appealing prospect,” Gallen said. “Throughout his Penn State career, he demonstrated yearly improvement and showed that he could be used in different ways while creating havoc. He was also a team captain, which is something that shouldn’t be underrated when looking at the types of personalities who are being added to the locker room. He also understands what’s ahead as an NFL player because of the experience of his brother, Packers cornerback Kalen King, over the past year. King would be a welcome addition to an NFL roster.”

49ers may look for George Kittle replacement with 1st pick in NFL draft

The star tight recorded 104 receptions for 1,233 yards and 12 total touchdowns on his way to winning college football’s Mackey Award.

Early mock drafts have penned different defensive linemen, offensive linemen and defensive backs to the San Francisco 49ers in the first round. While it’s easy to see the holes on the 49ers roster on both the offensive and defensive line along with the secondary, is there a case for John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan to pursue an offensive playmaker with their first pick in the 2025 edition of the draft?

The first round is littered with blue-chip caliber prospects at multiple skill positions, headlined by players like Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillian, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, Missouri’s Luther Burden and Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka.

While each of those players would add a spark to Shanahan’s offense, one player from the 2025 class could be too hard to pass on if he’s available when the 49ers are on the clock, regardless of position.

After a stellar season at Penn State, Tyler Warren emerged as the best tight end in the 2025 draft class. On his way to helping Penn State punch a ticket to the College Football Playoff, Warren exploded for 104 receptions for 1,233 yards and eight touchdown receptions. Warren added four rushing touchdowns for the Nittany Lions.

On his way to winning the John Mackey Award for the nation’s top tight end, Warren showed off a flurry of traits worthy of a top draft pick. At 6-foot-6, 257 lbs, Warren has a large catch radius with the ability to win contested catches with power. In the 2024 season, Warren earned a 93.3 receiving grade from Pro Football Focus.

Warren’s size and power transition well to the run game where his blocking holds up to his ability as a receiver.

Warren’s versatility and ability to line up at multiple positions on the field, including in the backfield at fullback, gives Shanahan another chess piece on the field. Warren could play alongside Kittle and Kyle Juszczyk as he becomes comfortable in the 49ers offense, while also playing outside as a receiver.

The Penn State tight end could potentially help extend Kittle’s prime, taking pressure off as blocker on the edges or as a target for Brock Purdy. The six-time Pro Bowler has missed eight games over his last four seasons. Warren’s addition to the tight end room would give the 49ers depth at the position that they’ve missed.

While there’s absolutely a case for the 49ers bring in a trench player like an offensive lineman or defensive lineman along with a player in the secondary, Warren’s skillset could be enough to catch the eye of Lynch and Shanahan.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

ESPN projects Notre Dame performance in 2026 College Football Playoff

See how the Irish would go here.

Notre Dame fans might still be smarting over the outcome of the 2025 College Football Playoff title game, but it’s time to look to 2026. At least that’s how ESPN sees it.

Very quickly after the Irish’s loss to Ohio State concluded, Mark Schlabach presented his 2025 Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings and placed the Irish fourth. Now, Bill Connelly has presented his initial projections for the 2026 College Football Playoff, something he safely could do given the format will be unchanged from 2025.

The Irish are slotted as the seventh seed and host of a first-round game, but the bigger story in this scenario is their first opponent would be LSU. What’s more, this projection has the Irish beating the Tigers in a game that Brian Kelly surely never would live down.

Alas, this projection also has Penn State getting revenge on the Irish in the Rose Bowl en route to winning the national title. At least there’s no shame in losing to the last team standing:

https://www.instagram.com/on3/p/DFYLrobx-b9/?hl=en

Welcome to college football, where predictions never take time off.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

Penn State DC hire makes USC’s retention of D’Anton Lynn more impressive

Penn State just hired elite defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. USC was ready to keep D’Anton Lynn away from Happy Valley. The Trojans did something right.

Two weeks ago, USC made a big move by extending fast-rising defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn. The move came amid interest in Lynn from Penn State, his alma mater, for its defensive coordinator position.

On Sunday, the Nittany Lions announced their new defensive coordinator, and it was a big name. Penn State was able to poach star DC Jim Knowles away from Big Ten foe Ohio State. Less than a week removed from winning a national championship with the Buckeyes, Knowles will now head to Happy Valley to work in the same role.

The Knowles hire only makes USC’s retention of Lynn look all the more impressive. Clearly, Penn State was willing to pay top dollar to pry a top candidate away from an established powerhouse. The fact that the Trojans were able to hold onto Lynn despite the Nittany Lions’ push further highlights USC’s strong investment in the football program.

As we wrote over the weekend, this also means there are no excuses for head coach Lincoln Riley. The athletic department has spent significant money to retain his highly touted defensive coordinator and hire general manager Chad Bowden away from rival Notre Dame. If the Trojans flop on the field yet again in 2025, Riley will have no one but himself to blame.

49ers should trade up in NFL draft if this superstar DE slides

The star pass rusher tallied 12 sacks for the Nittany Lions on the way to being named a unanimous first-team All-American.

When the NFL draft rolls around in April, John Lynch, Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers will have decisions to make. Currently sitting at No. 11 in the draft order, the 49ers will likely have options when they hit the clock.

Quarterbacks like Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shaduer Sanders coming off the board in the top 10 could push talented blue-chip prospects down the board into San Francisco’s range. The 49ers could also pursue a prospect that falls in the draft with a trade-up situation.

In the latest mock draft from Curt Popejoy of USA TODAY’s SMG Draft Wire, Penn State star pass rusher Abdul Carter was selected at No. 7 by the New York Jets, just four picks away from the 49ers. Carter’s prowess on the edge fits the bill for the type of player worthy of trading up for if available.

The unanimous All-American helped fuel Penn State’s run to the college football playoff with a career-best 12 sacks to go along with two forced fumbles, 43 solo tackle and four pass deflections in 16 games. In Penn State’s loss to Notre Dame in the college football semifinals, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year recorded five tackles, two for a loss and a sack against the Irish.

Via @TheMarcJohnNFL on Twitter:

While the 49ers have tried to find the right player to rush the passer across from Nick Bosa, they’ve come up short. Additions like Leonard Floyd, Drake Jackson and Yetur Gross-Matos have shown flashes at time, but there’s been a lack of consistency when it comes to a No. 2 pass rush option alongside Bosa. A trade-up for Carter could potentially answer the 49ers’ question mark at pass rush.

The 49ers could try to package the No. 11 pick, No. 43 (second round) and potentially one of their third-round compensatory picks to move up a handful of spots to land one of the draft’s top prospects in Carter if he slips out of the top five.

Popejoy later penned fellow edge rusher Mykel Williams out of Georgia to the 49ers at pick No. 11.

Read the full mock draft from USA TODAY’s SMG Draft Wire here.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Penn State transfer schedules Tennessee visit

Wide receiver schedules a visit with Tennessee after entering the NCAA transfer portal.

Penn State transfer wide receiver Omari Evans will visit Tennessee.

Evans will also visit Washington, Texas Tech and Syracuse, according to On3. Dates have not been determined for his visits.

Evans entered the NCAA transfer portal on Jan. 14. He committed to the Nittany Lions on Oct. 2, 2021.

The former Penn State wide receiver was a three-star prospect, ranked as the No. 59 wide receiver and No. 55 prospect in Texas, according to 247Sports.

In three seasons at Penn State, Evans recorded 30 receptions for 564 yards and seven touchdowns.

In 2024, he appeared in 16 games for the Nittany Lions, including Penn State’s loss in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Notre Dame.

Evans has one season of eligibility remaining.

Lindsay Gottlieb thanks USC women’s basketball fans in heartfelt speech

Lindsay Gottlieb emotionally thanked the USC women’s basketball fans who showed up to Sunday evening’s game in the Galen Center.

On Sunday evening, USC women’s basketball played the first major sporting event in Los Angeles since the Southern California wildfires began ravaging the region last Tuesday

Given the circumstances, it was understandably an emotional night at Galen Center. Following the game, USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb addressed the crowd about such.

“There were over 6,000 people here tonight,” Gottlieb said. “With so many people in our beloved community that have lost a lot, you cannot take our community away from us.

“We are always about representing you the best that we can. And if we can bring two hours of joy, or a season of joy, we’re gonna try to do that to the best of our ability.

“We appreciate you coming out here for us.”

USC’s schedule has been affected by the wildfires, as Northwestern’s women’s team elected not to travel out to Los Angeles this week. As a result, the Women of Troy will not be back in action until next Sunday, when they visit Indiana.

As of now, Tuesday night’s men’s basketball game against Iowa is still scheduled to take place.

Wisconsin transfer portal target commits to a Big Ten rival

Wisconsin transfer portal target commits to a Big Ten rival

Michigan transfer defensive lineman Owen Wafle committed to Penn State on Saturday.

The former four-star recruit reportedly visited Wisconsin last week, following trips to Oklahoma, Penn State and Rutgers. He committed to the Nittany Lions with four years of eligibility remaining.

Related: Tracking Wisconsin football’s transfer portal offers, visits and commitments

Wafle entered the transfer portal in early January after one year with the Wolverines. He joined the program as 247Sports’ No. 445 player in the class of 2024, No. 50 defensive lineman and No. 9 recruit from the state of New Jersey.

The recruiting service lists him as a three-star transfer recruit, who is ranked 785th in the portal and 75th among edge rushers.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DEtHQ0wxNqG/

Wisconsin continues working to bolster its defensive line even with a multitude of transfers at the position committed. It was reportedly in the running for Ohio standout edge rusher Bradley Weaver before he chose Rutgers. The program also recently hosted top-ranked transfer pass rusher Mi’Quise Grace (South Dakota) on a visit.

The Badgers are set to enter 2025 with returning veterans Darryl Peterson and Aaron Witt leading the pass-rushing unit. Transfers Mason Reiger (Louisville) and Tyreese Fearbry (Kentucky) figure to play prominent roles, as do rising junior Sebastian Cheeks and redshirt freshman Thomas Heiberger.

Wisconsin struggled to pressure opposing quarterbacks in 2024, averaging 1.3 sacks per game (No. 120 in the nation). Luke Fickell highlighted pass-rushing as a significant area of need this offseason, given the team’s transfer pursuits.

While Wafle chose the Nittany Lions, the Badgers still have options to add at the position.

 Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.

Dolphins’ top 2025 draft prospects: Penn State TE Tyler Warren

The Dolphins don’t have a huge need at tight end, but Tyler Warren may be too good to pass up.

Penn State tight end Tyler Warren is an absolute problem for defenses and he was a beast of a player beyond standard tight end duties in the collegiate ranks. Warren is simply a weapon able to be utilized all over the field, whether that’s as a receiver, a runner or H-back in the backfield, or even as a passer.

Warren, who played quarterback in high school, plays with rare intelligence to match his offensive versatility. His 2024 season with the Nittany Lions was special, and saw him score in a variety of ways. He finished his season with eight receiving touchdowns, four rushing touchdowns, and a passing touchdown.

Additionally, Warren led all power conference players with 104 receptions to go with 1,233 receiving yards. He finished his collegiate career with 153 catches, 1,839 receiving yards, and 19 reception touchdowns, along with another 224 rushing yards and six scores on the ground.

Position: TE/Hybrid
Projected round: 1st
Height: 6’6
Weight: 261

Fit for Miami

The Dolphins just had a franchise record-breaking year for the tight end position from Jonnu Smith. With the veteran under contract through the 2025 season, it could behoove Miami to enter next season with a dual-threat combo at the position, as each are eerily similar in ability and usage. Both could be used as an H-back and fill the “F” role on the depth chart. They are players who specialize in yards after the catch and stand out as threats in the red zone.

Warren can also serve as a lead-blocker for running backs and quickly become a very good overall blocker with a little tutelage. The Penn State product would be a perfect project for tight end coach Jon Embree to teach and Smith to mentor.

Bottom line

The Dolphins have several impending free agents at key positions, including wide receiver. While a tight end may not be the most necessary piece to fill in the Dolphins’ 2025 draft puzzle, Warren may just be too talented to pass up.

If he isn’t a top 12 pick — which he certainly could be — general manager Chris Grier may have to make a move. The Dolphins passed on offensive juggernauts like wide receiver Justin Jefferson and running back Jonathan Taylor in recent years.

Considering how well Brock Bowers did as a rookie for the Las Vegas Raiders last season, Grier could add a five-year fixture in a Dolphins offense at the very least if he takes Warren in April.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]