The Packers hosted a pre-draft visit with Rasheed Walker, who started 32 games at LT for Penn State over the last 3 seasons.
The Green Bay Packers hosted a pre-draft visit with Penn State offensive tackle Rasheed Walker, according to Justin Melo of The Draft Network.
Walker (6-5, 313) started 32 games at left tackle and was a two-time All-Big Ten selection. He started for three straight seasons and was a team captain in 2021.
According to Pro Football Focus, Walker gave up 26 pressures as a pass-blocker in 2021, including four sacks.
Dane Brugler of The Athletic ranks Walker as the 10th best offensive tackle prospect in the class and projects him as a third- or fourth-round pick.
While Walker has 33-inch arms and a wingspan of 80 inches, he didn’t do athletic testing at the NFL Scouting Combine or Penn State’s pro day. The visit to Green Bay might be the team’s opportunity to complete his profile before the draft.
What Penn State players appeared in this ESPN draft analyst’s seven-round mock draft?
ESPN has always been a hub for NFL draft content, especially mock drafts. One of their new analysts this year, Jordan Reid, dropped a doozy by giving us a full seven-round mock draft.
With seven full rounds, we get a whopping 262 picks, just like we will on April 28. Based on Jordan Reid’s projection, there could be up to nine Penn State players selected from rounds one through six. On offense, there are just two offensive players being selected, whereas defense makes up six of those selections with punter [autotag]Jordan Stout[/autotag] rounding out the group.
Penn State offense in the draft
On offense, the mock draft had receiver [autotag]Jahan Dotson[/autotag] landing with the Kansas City Chiefs. Dotson with Kansas City would have him in a fun spot to produce right away and be a starter the moment he is drafted. The Chiefs traded away Tyreek Hill this offseason so there is a gap to fill on offense, Dotson would do well in that role.
As for the other player on offense, offensive lineman [autotag]Rasheed Walker[/autotag] was selected by the Baltimore Ravens to address a glaring need in the trenches this offseason for the AFC North franchise. The Ravens need more consistent play from their tackles to protect Lamar Jackson, and Walker could do that and bring some tenacity to the line as well.
NFL draft heavy on Penn State defensive talent
Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
For the defense, Reid’s mock draft had several players heading to teams where they could start immediately. Those players would be [autotag]Jaquan Brisker[/autotag] and [autotag]Arnold Ebiketie[/autotag] to the New York Jets and [autotag]Brandon Smith[/autotag] to the Seattle Seahawks.
For Brisker and Ebiketie to the Jets, they have long been trying to get that defense up to head coach Robert Salah’s standard. Both men could see themselves thrust into starting and meaningful roles as the Jets look to turn the corner.
As for Smith, he would be tasked with replacing a future hall of fame player on a Seahawks defense that has been disappointing as of late. All three guys would be getting a ton of NFL playing time and continue the recent run on Penn State producing quality talent to the NFL.
Who else could be drafted?
Rounding out the rest of the players selected is [autotag]Jesse Luketa[/autotag] to the Baltimore Ravens, [autotag]Tariq Castro-Fields[/autotag] to the Los Angeles Chargers, and star punter Jordan Stout lands with the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams have one of the best offenses in the NFL, so he may not be having to punt very often so be sure to fire up those YouTube punting highlights.
With two weeks until the NFL draft, it will be interesting to see where else this year’s Nittany Lion draft class gets mocked and where they ultimately get drafted.
The Ravens added a plethora of talent in a seven-round mock draft by ESPN
The Baltimore Ravens will have plenty of tough decisions to make in a few weeks once draft weekend officially commences. The team has 10 draft picks including nine in the first four rounds, so they’ll have no shortage of opportunities to make the team better.
In a full seven-round 2022 mock draft, Jordan Reid of ESPN laid out each of the 262 picks slated to happen over the course of the draft’s three days. He selected a plethora of talented players for Baltimore, starting in the first round at pick No. 14, where he had them take edge rusher Jermaine Johnson II out of Florida State. Reid explained that his versatility as a pass rusher and a run defender would fit well on the Ravens’ defense.
“He is a ready-made run defender as well as a mature pass-rusher. Johnson is firm at the point of attack and has a determined mentality throughout games and a playing style that would fit well in Baltimore.”
At pick No. 45, Reid gave Baltimore cornerback depth in Tariq Woolen out of UTSA. He talked about how Woolen is as physically gifted of a cornerback as many have seen.
“The 6-foot-4 Woolen is one of the most physically gifted corners we’ve seen in the past decade. In need of depth on the perimeter, the Ravens could take a liking to him as a developmental player behind Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters and Iman Marshall.”
In the third round, Reid first took offensive tackle Rasheed Walker out of Penn State at pick No. 76 for Baltimore, discussing how he could be a nice developmental piece.
“After signing Morgan Moses, the Ravens still need developmental depth. Walker makes sense, as he has spurts of positive play, but his technique leaves him still far away from being ready to step in and play meaningful snap”
At pick No. 100, Reid has former Florida star defensive lineman Zach Carter being added to the Ravens, who he crowns a great run defender with starter potential if he can improve his pass rushing skills.
“A stout and consistent player at the point of attack, Carter is a 3-4 base end who is ready to play early as a run defender. If he becomes a more consistent pass-rusher, he could be a starter. He fits well in the Ravens’ odd defensive front.”
On Day 3 for Baltimore, in the fourth round Reid picks Cincinnati inside linebacker Darrian Beavers at No. 110, edge rusher Jesse Luketa out of Penn State at No. 119, wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. from Notre Dame at No. 128, edge rusher Sam Williams from USC at No. 139 and inside linebacker Damone Clark out of LSU at No. 141. In the sixth round, Reid rounded out the Ravens’ draft with guard Leticus Smith out of Virginia Tech.
Reid picked a balanced group of talented playmakers for Baltimore headlined by Johnson and Woolen, both of which could immediately fill in and take on big roles at positions of need. The other players taken in the mid/late rounds solidify multiple other areas of need, which is key as the team looks to build up their roster.
NFL draft analyst from The Athletic has Penn State in elite company this draft season
Each year that Dane Brugler has worked at The Athletic he has put together arguably the best NFL draft guide for fans titled The Beast. This year he has Penn State in some notable company after publishing it this past week.
Several schools had multiple players listed in its top fifty, none could compete with the seven that Georgia has on the list, but Penn State is in some solid company.
Penn State, along with Big Ten rival Michigan and Alabama, all have three players inside the top fifty of Brugler’s. Penn State has safety [autotag]Jaquan Brisker[/autotag] and edge/linebacker [autotag]Arnold Ebiketie[/autotag] on the list that is highlighted by [autotag]Jahan Dotson[/autotag] who ranks the highest of them all. Dotson comes in at number 25 on his overall big board with Ebiketie coming in just behind Dotson at 28, and Brisker ranking 42 on it.
All three were Penn State leaders last year and were selected as All-Americans, in the NFL they are going to have to face some adversity such as will Dotson be different from [autotag]K.J. Hamler[/autotag] and [autotag]Daesean Hamilton[/autotag]? Which position is the best for Ebeketie?
Brugler says that Dotson “puts defenders in conflict with his twitchy speed” and when discussing his size he drops one of his best compliments possible. With Dotson’s size, Brugler says “he has above-average hands and natural body control with maybe the largest catch radius of any sub-5-foot-11 receiver I have ever scouted”. One would think he may be the best receiver for Penn State out of the trio that was mentioned above.
He has more glowing reviews of Ebiketie and some good points on Brisker in The Beast. You can also read about [autotag]Rasheed Walker[/autotag], [autotag]Jesse Luketa[/autotag], [autotag]Brandon Smith[/autotag], [autotag]Ellis Brooks[/autotag], and [autotag]Tariq Castro-Fields[/autotag] All of the players mentioned have full player summaries from The Athletic’s lead draft analyst Dane Brugler. Be sure to check that out and to stay tuned for our coverage of the draft and all things Penn State.
We look at a trade up scenario for the Ravens in our latest 2022 mock draft
With 10 selections in the 2022 draft, the Baltimore Ravens have no shortage of possibilities as to how they can add talent to their roster come draft weekend. They can select players with each of those 10 picks, or they could move up and down the draft board to get the best value for their selections.
In situations where they trade up, they would most likely do so if there’s a falling star taking an unprecedented drop. It’s been rare that Baltimore has a first-round selection as high as No. 14, so it would cost less draft capital to move up into the top-ten as opposed to if they had a pick in the late first round.
Below we look at our latest seven-round mock draft for the Ravens, this time including a trade-up scenario.
What NFL teams are doing their homework on Penn State’s Rasheed Walker as the NFL draft approaches?
Former Nittany Lion offensive tackle [autotag]Rasheed Walker[/autotag] has seen some heavy interest from NFL teams as they wind down the pre-draft visits. Teams with needs at the tackle position seem to be keen on Walker as he may become a value for teams in the upcoming NFL Draft.
According to a report from Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline, the Washington Commanders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings, and Seattle Seahawks have all had visits with Walker. All of those teams mentioned above have needs at the tackle position as well making them good fits for Walker. Walker protected [autotag]Sean Clifford[/autotag]’s blindside for his entire career in State College and for teams with players like Trevor Lawrence and Kirk Cousins at quarterback, it is best to protect them the best you can.
Walker was one of the few Penn State freshmen in 2019 playing in all 13 games that season and started all the games during the COVID shortened 2020 season. Overall in his Penn State career, he appeared in 36 career games with 32 of those games being starts for Walker. He has the frame and build, 6’6” and 313 pounds, and is still young enough, 22, to where he should be highly sought after on day two of the draft.
Rasheed Walker vs David Ojabo
◾Good kick out on the 45 degree pass set ◾Keeps a half man relationship so he doesn't get beat inside ◾Strong anchor on initial contact 💪🏾 pic.twitter.com/u9ZeZYFo3j
His playstyle is more athletic as well as he has shown to be nimble on his feet while also being big enough to handle NFL-sized defensive ends. He will need some consistent coaching as he has been in three defensive systems, including two different line coaches, once he gets that he has a ton of NFL upside.
Penn State fans will have several big names to watch during the draft such as [autotag]Jahan Dotson[/autotag], [autotag]Jaquan Brisker[/autotag], [autotag]Arnold Ebiketie[/autotag], in addition to Walker. The NFL draft starts on April 28 and runs through April 30 and can be found on ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network.
Penn State OT Rasheed Walker is a player the Jaguars could take in the mid to late rounds of the NFL draft.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are one of a handful of teams set to receive a visit from Penn State offensive tackle Rasheed Walker. The Washington Commanders, Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers, and Seattle Seahawks will be receiving visits from him as well, according to Pro Football Network.
Walker started 32 games at left tackle with the Nittany Lions over three seasons with the team. He helped Penn State finish second in the Big Ten in total offense in 2020. However, Walker missed a part of last season with a meniscus injury but should soon be fully cleared to resume all football drills.
He has perfect size NFL teams covet from an offensive tackle, standing at 6-foot-6, 320 pounds with long arms and a strong base.
If the Jaguars don’t use their first overall pick on Alabama offensive tackle Evan Neal or North Carolina State’s Ikem Ekwonu, Walker is a name for Jags fans to watch as a Day 3 pick.
But Walker most likely wouldn’t start at left tackle, depending on where he’s taken. General manager Trent Baalke and head coach Doug Pederson franchise-tagged starting left tackle Cam Robinson earlier this offseason. He’s only played on the blindside for the Jags, who have plans to extend him.
With the salary he could end up making if extended (or the salary of the franchise tag), the Jags could view Walker as a candidate to play right tackle for them.
We look at an updated seven-round 2022 mock draft for the Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens have a treasure trove of selections to use in the 2022 NFL draft, holding 10 picks overall, including nine in the first four rounds. This year’s 2022 class is a deep one, and Baltimore should be able to find plenty of solid contributors that can help them both next season and well into the future.
There are many different directions that the Ravens could go in during next month’s draft. Even though they’ve filled out some areas of need during free agency, they can still improve in many areas over the course of draft weekend.
Below, we put together an updated 2022 mock draft for Baltimore where they favor getting better in the trenches in the early rounds and filling out depth late.
As expected, the Colts have been pretty quiet on the free agency front. They made a splash play in trading for defensive end Yannick Ngakoue but have made little moves elsewhere. They re-signed four players while adding cornerback Brandon Facyson from free agency on a one-year deal.
With the first wave of free agency now through, here’s an updated look at a full, seven-round mock draft for the Colts using Pro Football Network’s mock draft simulator:
With that being said, CBS Sports recently released a three-round mock draft that has four Penn State players going day two.
It’s around that time of year where teams get the opportunity to interview prospects they show interest in. Penn State’s defense will likely have a few players hear their names called early next month in the draft.
