Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth has dropped out of the first round in mock drafts available online after missing the second half of the season with a shoulder injury.
Freiermuth had been a consensus first-round pick in mock drafts prior to his injury. He was banged up in week two against Ohio State and never fully recovered, James Franklin said, but he played two more games before having his season end after four contests. He then was to undergo surgery in late November.
That surgery and the unknown with Freiermuth’s shoulder has cost him when it comes to draft stock. Of the half-dozen mock drafts checked by NSN, none has Freiermuth listed in the first round.
Most mocks at this point only go one round, so it’s unclear exactly how far Freiermuth may have fallen. Pro Football Network has a four-round mock, and Freiermuth is slotted to go in the second round with the No. 51 pick to the Washington Football Team.
Depending on where he ends up getting picked, if it’s not in the first round, it could cost Freiermuth a couple of million dollars or more, plus it will change the amount of guaranteed money he will get.
Freiermuth was asked after Penn State lost to Maryland to fall to 0-3 if he had thought about opting out of the season. That, mind you, would have come after he had already gotten hurt against Ohio State, and he still said he remained committed to playing for the Lions.
“I’m committed to Penn State till I decide my time’s up here,” the All-American said Tuesday morning. “Like I said before, I love this university, I love this this this program, I love the coaches, I love the players in it. And I’m with them in the good times and the bad times.
“I just can’t, that’s not my personality to just walk away when we’re down and the program’s down. I’m gonna get up and fight back and try and get out get us our first win this season and do anything I can to make this program go in the next step. So, yeah, I haven’t even thought that, it never crossed my mind to opt out after our slow start.”
He played one more game at Nebraska, but was unable to keep going because of the shoulder injury. He missed the final five games and declared for the draft on Dec. 21.
Linebacker Micah Parsons remains a top 10 pick in every mock draft we checked. Defensive end Jayson Oweh remains a first-round pick in four of the six mocks.
A rundown:
Bleacher Report: Parsons 3rd to Dolphins
Pro Football Focus: Parsons 9th to Panthers, Oweh 25th to Titans
Pro Football Network: Parsons 8th to Giants, Oweh 30th to Bills
CBS Sports: Parsons 10th to Broncos, Oweh 24th to Titans
Sporting News: Parsons 7th to Lions
NBC Sports: Parsons 5th to Bengals, Oweh 25th to Texans
Here’s what NBC Sports had to say about each player:
Parsons: Unfortunately, for starting quarterback, Joe Burrow and the Bengals his season was brutally cut short by a devastating knee injury. However, during those nine games he finished, Cincy and the NFL viewing world witnessed just how talented and special Burrow is. If the Bengals draft Parsons, it’s highly possible the same adulation could be bestowed on him, too. The Bengals ranked 25th against the run and 22nd overall in yards allowed this season. Parsons is a true three down linebacker that can cover equally as well as he disrupts running plays. A day one selection and immediate day one starter.
Oweh: Oweh’s picture is in Wikipedia when describing the term, “athletic freak.” It’s unimaginable to absorb and process how a man his size (6’5″, 252 lbs) can run a 40 time of four point three seconds. Oweh is still learning the game and the nuances of the various positions he can play, that stated, his ceiling is too high to ignore on draft day. The Titans need a game wrecker to become a top 10 defense, and since the “Clowney Experiment” failed, taking a chance on Oweh is a more sound investment.