Tag: rasheed walker

Every NFL draft pick coached by James Franklin

Zac Stacy, Jordan Matthews, Saquon Barkley, Micah Parsons, and every other NFL draft pick who played for James Franklin.

[autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] got his first head coaching opportunity with Vanderbilt after the 2010 season despite previously being the head coach-in-waiting at Maryland. The Commodores are not necessarily known for producing a tremendous amount of NFL talent, but Vanderbilt managed to send a few players off to the next level by way of the NFL draft under the guidance of Franklin, who has experience as an assistant coach in the NFL.

In the years Franklin was the head coach at Vanderbilt, from 2011 through 2013, Vanderbilt had seven players drafted. And a few more who would go on to be drafted later on out of Vanderbilt were brought into the program initially by Franklin and his staff. The seven players drafted from Vanderbilt from Franklin’s three seasons with the program is the most draft picks from Vanderbilt in a three-year span in school history since 1957-1969 saw 11 players selected by NFL teams, in the days of a draft lasting at least 20 rounds.

Since arriving at Penn State in 2014, Franklin has seen a growing number of his players go on to be drafted by NFL franchises, including an offensive rookie of the year in running back [autotag]Saquon Barkley[/autotag] in 2018 and a defensive rookie of the year in linebacker [autotag]Micah Parsons[/autotag] in 2021.

Here is a look at every player drafted by an NFL team that had James Franklin as a head coach in their last game before being drafted, beginning with Franklin’s time at Vanderbilt.

And once you are done checking out this list, here is a list of every Penn State player drafted in the first round of the NFL draft since Penn State joined the Big Ten.

Every Penn State player on an NFL opening day roster in 2022

Here is every former Penn State plater on an NFL roster to start the new NFL season in 2022.

The start of a new season in the National Football League is here and there will be a good amount of Penn State flavor throughout the league this season. Penn State will have the eighth most players on an NFL opening day roster this season with 34 players appearing on an NFL team’s 53-man roster to start the season (plus two additional players on injured reserve and another on the physically unable to perform list). In all, Penn State claims 44 players are on NFL rosters to start the year with the inclusion of practice squad players.

That includes nine players who were on the Penn State roster in 2021, including wide receiver [autotag]Jahan Dotson[/autotag], defensive end [autotag]Arnold Ebiketie[/autotag], and safety [autotag]Jaquan Brisker[/autotag]. Dotson is one of four Penn State players on the Washington Commanders, the most of any NFL franchise to start the season.

Former kicker [autotag]Robbie Gould[/autotag] continues to be the elder statesman of the Nittany Lions football family in the NFL. Gould, of the San Francisco 49ers, is entering his 19th season in the NFL.

Here is a look at every Penn State player on either an NFL team’s 53-man roster or practice squad at the start of the 2022 season.

Packers rookie Rasheed Walker enters conversation for roster spot

Seventh round pick Rasheed Walker was excellent in the preseason finale against the Chiefs.

Prior to the Green Bay Packers’ final preseason game in Kansas City, we hadn’t heard or seen much of rookie offensive tackle Rasheed Walker.

He had been dealing with a foot injury, which resulted in some missed practice time, and when he was on the field, he took “a lot of hard coaching,” as Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated wrote.

But Walker made his preseason debut against the Chiefs, taking over at right tackle with the second offensive line unit, and he made the most of his limited opportunities.

The Packers selected Walker late in the seventh round of his past draft out of Penn State, where he was the Nittany Lions’ starting left tackle for three seasons.

Against Kansas City, Walker was on the field for 49 total snaps, including 35 pass blocking reps, and he didn’t give up a single pressure per PFF. He also threw a key block on an 11-yard run from Patrick Taylor.

In a matter of just a few hours, Walker went from being a sure-fire cut candidate to now potentially being in the mix for a roster spot as the 10th offensive lineman.

In the first three seasons under Matt LaFleur, the Packers have never kept more than nine offensive linemen on the initial 53-man roster–and right now, nine roster spots are accounted for.

However, given the uncertainty around Elgton Jenkins’ and David Bakhtiari’s availability early on in the season, rostering a 10th lineman does make sense for depth purposes. If both are unable to play, that leaves the Packers with only seven active offensive linemen, not including any practice squad elevations.

If the Packers choose to keep a 10th offensive lineman, it will be between Walker and Caleb Jones, an undrafted rookie who has put together an impressive summer. Jones has worked his way up the depth chart, consistently taking snaps at both tackle positions with the second-team offense in recent weeks.

Standing 6-9, Jones has rare size and length at the offensive tackle position, and he is loaded with upside. But from a technique standpoint, Walker has the advantage based on what we saw Thursday night, which could lead to making an impact sooner.

The Packers won’t be able to keep both on the 53-man roster, and while their play this summer will, of course, be an important part of the evaluation, Green Bay will also consider whether one player is more likely to get to the practice squad than the other. For example, if the Packers have greater concerns about Walker being claimed by another team if he’s cut, that may be the deciding factor in who the 10th lineman is.

We also need to keep in mind that rostering a 10th lineman takes away from another position group. So instead of keeping a sixth defensive lineman, maybe the Packers have to keep five. Or the Packers roster just four linebackers instead of five.

If the Packers do end up keeping Walker on the 53-man roster, his rookie season will likely look similar to that of Yosh Nijman’s in 2020, which was essentially a red-shirt year for him as he saw 14 total offensive snaps in mop-up duty and another 80 on special teams.

Roster cutdowns for the Packers, as well as the rest of the NFL, need to be completed by Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 CST. And in only one game, Walker has very much thrown himself into that mix after what was largely a quiet summer.

Packers rookie impact: Can a pair of 7th round picks crack the roster?

The Green Bay Packers ended the 2022 NFL draft with 11 draft picks, with four of those picks coming in the seventh round and seven of those selections coming on day three of the draft. How much of an impact will the 2022 rookie class make this …

The Green Bay Packers ended the 2022 NFL draft with 11 draft picks, with four of those picks coming in the seventh round and seven of those selections coming on day three of the draft. How much of an impact will the 2022 rookie class make this upcoming season? 

The Packers got significant impact from the 2021 draft class. Eric Stokes enjoyed a stellar rookie campaign, displaying the ability to lock down the wide receiver across from him. Josh Myers started at center before having his rookie season derailed by injuries. Royce Newman started 16 games and TJ Slaton finished his rookie season with one sack and flashed potential while playing 255 snaps. 

Or will the 2020 rookie class be like the 2022 draft class that provided little to no impact?

This series will try to predict what members of the 2022 draft class will provide the most impact for the Packers this upcoming season. They will be ranked 11-1, with 11 having the least amount of impact and No. 1 having the most impact. 

It’s worth pointing out that rookie season success isn’t an indicator of prolonged success. Damarious Randall enjoyed a fine rookie season and flamed out. With that let’s get this series started by taking a look at a pair of seventh-round picks that will face a steep uphill climb to crack Green Bay’s roster.

11). Jonathan Ford, DL 

Ford is a roadblock. The 30-game starter anchors down and controls his gap. At 6-5 and 333 pounds, Ford is a traditional nose tackle that offers little to no pass-rush upside. 

He finished his career with eight tackles for loss and three sacks, with all three sacks coming in 2019.

With Kenny Clark, Jarran Reed, Devonte Wyatt, Dean Lowry, and Slaton, the Packers have a deep and talented group up front. There may not be room for a nose tackle like Ford that offers nothing as an interior pass-rusher. 

If the Packers opt to keep six defensive linemen, Ford will likely battle second-year player Jack Heflin for that roster spot. 

Prediction: Ford spends the year on Green Bay’s practice squad. There is just too much talent and depth standing in Ford’s way to crack Green Bay’s defensive line rotation.

If it weren’t for the presence of Ford’s middle school teammate, (Slaton), Ford might have had a chance to earn some snaps as a rookie.

10). Rasheed Walker, OT

Walker was a 32-game starter at left tackle for Penn State. He has ideal size for the position (6-5, 313 pounds).

“All that playing experience gave me a bunch of confidence,” Walker said. “I’m just very confident playing my position…I’m very athletic…I just love to win.”

If everyone were healthy, Walker likely would be hard-pressed to crack Green Bay’s initial 53-man roster. However, will Elgton Jenkins be ready for the start of the season? How healthy is David Bakhtiari? Aside from Yosh Nijman, the Packers don’t have a lot of proven depth at the tackle position

That lack of depth could open the door for a player like Walker. Walker has all the tools in the shed to develop into a starting left or right tackle (where he lined up in high school). 

Prediction: Jenkins might miss the beginning of the season, which means Nijman will likely be the week-one starter at right tackle. Who serves at the swing tackle in this scenario? 

This will be one of the most interesting storylines to follow throughout training camp.

It’s not even a lock that Nijman starts at right tackle. Maybe the Packers view Sean Rhyan as a right tackle. Maybe Newman kicks out to play tackle. There are a lot of moving parts and no shortage of options.

With his upside and experience, the Packers will keep Walker on the initial 53-man roster if Jenkins starts the season on the PUP.  If Jenkins is ready to go, there may not be room for the Packers to keep a fourth offensive tackle on the roster, especially when you consider that guards like Newman and Rhyan can kick outside if needed.

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PHOTOS: Offensive Penn State draft picks take in first NFL minicamps

Photos of Jahan Dotson and Rasheed Walker in first NFL minicamps.

The NFL draft has come and gone but that doesn’t mean the work stops for the Nittany Lions in the NFL. Most NFL teams had rookie camps shortly after the draft but most recently they had minicamps to warm up for training camp in August.

Penn State remains a defensive focused team, for now, but the offensive side is starting to gain traction. This past year, however, just two Nittany Lions were drafted in the seven rounds held by the NFL. [autotag]Jahan Dotson[/autotag] was the highest-drafted as he went in the first round to the Washington Commanders. Joining him was [autotag]Rasheed Walker[/autotag] who had to wait a while longer as he was drafted in round seven.

Both are looking to earn meaningful roles, Walker with more to earn due to draft capital, but they are on track to have momentum in training camp in a couple months. For now, look back at some images from how they faired during their first camps and experience in the NFL.

Jahan Dotson signs rookie contract with Washington Commanders

Breaking down the details in Jahan Dotson’s rookie contract with the Washington Commanders

Arguably the best wide receiver to come out of Penn State since [autotag]Bobby Engram[/autotag] has now signed his first contract as an official NFL player. [autotag]Jahan Dotson[/autotag] has reportedly signed his rookie contract with the Washington Commanders, the team that used a first-round draft pick on the former Nittany Lions wide receiver in the 2022 NFL draft.

According to Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post, Dotson signed a four-year contract valued at $15.05 million. That amount is reportedly guaranteed as well, making for a nice way to start breaking in that NFL bank account for Dotson.

Dotson received a signing bonus of $8.1 million from the Commanders. which will be paid out in even distributions over the next four seasons on top of Dotson’s base salary. That base salary will start at $705,000 for his rookie season in 2022 and jumps up to $1.3 million in 2023, then just over $2 million in 2024, and up to $2.75 million in 2025.

Dotson’s contract includes an option for a fifth year in 2026, and Dotson is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2027.

Dotson is the third member of the Penn State draft class to ink his rookie contract with his new team. [autotag]Jesse Luketa[/autotag] just recently signed his rookie contract with the Arizona Cardinals, and [autotag]Rasheed Walker[/autotag] got the ball rolling with his rookie deal with the Green Bay Packers.

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Penn State officially adds Cornell transfer Hunter Nourzad

Penn State officially beefed up its offensive line with the arrival of an anticipated transfer

As the spring semesters wrap up on the academic calendar, some eagerly anticipated transfers can begin to be officially completed. One such case is that of offensive lineman [autotag]Hunter Nourzad[/autotag].

Penn State officially announced the addition of Nourzad to the Penn State program on Monday evening with a quick released statement. Nourzad had been committed to Penn State by way of the transfer portal back in early February, but Penn State was unable to officially welcome Nourzad to the program until he completed his academic time at Cornell.

Nourzad played in 20 games for Cornell and he was named a second-team All-American in 2021 by the American Football Coaches Association. Phil Steele also named Nourzad his Ivy League offensive lineman of the year, and Nourzad earned first-team All-Ivy League while being a semifinalist for the William V. Campbel Trophy.

The 6′-3″, 310-pound lineman is expected to slide right into a starting role on the Penn State offensive line, which looks to replace [autotag]Rasheed Walker[/autotag] and [autotag]Eric Wilson[/autotag] while also finding some stability as a unit to protect quarterback [autotag]Sean Clifford[/autotag] from getting banged up next season and allow the running game an opportunity to get on track.

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Who will Penn State draftees be playing in their first NFL game?

The NFL schedule release lets us know when Penn State’s latest NFL draft class is set to make their NFL debut.

The 2022 NFL draft has come and gone and in doing so Penn State fans have new players to follow as they pursue professional careers.

This draft class saw eight Nittany Lions get drafted over the course of the drafts seven rounds. They then saw five more players get signed as undrafted free agents, sending 13 players to the NFL off of a college roster is no easy task. It speaks to what [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and his staff have been able to do with their players and why he is seeing a recruiting boom taking place in Happy Valley.

After careers that saw them build themselves up at Beaver Stadium they now will begin the grueling travel of a 17-game NFL schedule. Take a look at who and where they will be playing in their first NFL games.

 

Penn State football 2022 NFL draft player signing tracker

The Penn State football 2022 NFL draft player signing tracker is now live!

Penn State is coming off an impressive 2022 NFL draft that saw a Big Ten-leading eight players selected by NFL franchises. The highlight of the draft class was first-round pick [autotag]Jahan Dotson[/autotag] going to the Washington Commanders as the highest-drafted receiver from Penn State in nearly 40 years.

But now that the draft picks have all been made, it is now time to see just how lucrative those rookie contracts will end up being for the eight drafted Nittany Lions. As is to be expected, players selected in the later rounds will likely be among the first in this draft class to let the ink dry on their fresh contracts, while some of the earlier picks may benefit from seeing how some contracts are coming together.

We’ll keep tabs on all of the draft pick contracts to be signed this year by Penn State players who have become NFL rookies in 2022, and we will update this information as needed when more information does become available. Contract details used here are obtained through the terrific sports contract resources available from Spotrac.

Green Bay Packers add Penn State linebacker Ellis Brooks as undrafted free agent

Ellis Brooks may not have been drafted, but he’s joining a couple of Penn State players in Green Bay

Prior to the NFL draft, Green Bay Packers safety [autotag]Adrian Amos[/autotag] wondered on Twitter if the Packers would be adding any Nittany Lions to the roster. As it turns out, they added two. After the conclusion of the 2022 NFL draft, the Packers signed Penn State linebacker Ellis Brooks to an undrafted free agent contract.

News of Brooks signing with the Packers was first broken by The Richmond Times-Dispatch reporter Eric Kolenich, via Twitter.

Brooks opted to leave Penn State with eligibility remaining to take a shot at being drafted by an NFL team, but he was viewed by many as a late-round draft pick at best once he declared for the draft. His linebacker partner, [autotag]Brandon Smith[/autotag], was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fourth round of the NFL draft.

The Packers used a late seventh-round draft pick in 2022 NFL draft to select Penn State offensive lineman [autotag]Rasheed Walker[/autotag].

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