College football is officially back this week and with that, the talk of the NFL draft also heats up. [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] and his staff have had 40 Nittany Lions go from State College to the NFL. This year there are bound to be more but two are sticking out to The Draft Network as top 100 players.
One is someone we have seen a lot in mock drafts lately, [autotag]Joey Porter Jr.[/autotag] The son of former Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro Joey Porter, he has quietly carved out a very solid career at State College. Now as he approaches the NFL, teams, and scouts are noticing the range he plays with and the overall size he has. In their initial rankings, Porter Jr. came in ranked at 61 overall.
Kyle Crabbs of the The Draft Network filled out the site’s scouting report on Porter Jr. He had the following to say on the cornerback “Joey Porter Jr. might be the longest cornerback in the country. He’s got incredible reach and influence inside the contact window and at the line of scrimmage. For someone who is still so inexperienced at the college level, it is exciting to think about what additional untapped potential awaits…”
Only one other player was able to make The Draft Network’s top 100 and he actually came in higher than Porter Jr. did. [autotag]Parker Washington[/autotag], the team’s third-year receiver, comes into the new season ranked 31st on the overall big board.
Washington has a smaller frame uses his quick twitch ability and strength to overpower defenders when running routes. With the departure of Jahan Dotson to the NFL this past April, Washington now seems set to take over and lead the Nittany Lion passing attack.
Like the Joey Porter Jr. report, Kyle Crabbs also authored the Parker Washington report for the scouting website. Crabbs, when discussing Washington, highlights “He has ball skills that are well developed beyond his years and pairs that with slippery mobility, strong acceleration, and a creative running style with and without the football. The foundation is laid for Washington to develop his game and enter into the first-round conversation…”
More Nittany Lions may crack the site’s top 100 as the season goes, and eventually the site will have over 300 reports. When that time comes we will be sure to drop the links to them all here so you can follow the development of the draft-eligible Nittany Lions.
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