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How Penn State’s Representatives Performed at The 2022 NFL Combine

Penn State

Another NFL combine is in the books, and eight Nittany Lions were in Indianapolis over the past several days to talk with organizations and show off some of their skills.

Here’s a breakdown of how Penn State’s players performed this past week.

JAHAN DOTSON

The first Penn State player to workout in Indy was the most prominent one, and many were interested to see what the Nittany Lions’ star receiver would do, particularly in the 40-yard dash.

Some, such as NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah, predicted Dotson to run in the 4.3’s. Unfortunately, Dotson wasn’t quite able to accomplish that, running a 4.43. and finishing behind 11 receivers.

Dotson also finish with a 36” vertical leap, a 10’1” broad jump and a 7.28 time in the 3 cone drill.

As someone who some see landing in the first round, Dotson’s draft stock doesn’t figure to be impacted much by his combine performance.

TARIQ CASTRO-FIELDS

Unlike Dotson, Castro-Fields isn’t projected as a first-rounder anywhere and isn’t even a guarantee to go in the draft at all, so not too much was expected of the former Penn State defensive back.

At combine’s end, however, Castro-Fields may have had the most impressive performance of any Nittany Lion in Indy, and may have boosted his stock the most.

It was Castro-Fields, not Dotson, who had the fastest 40-time of Penn State’s players.

Jaquan Brisker

An All-American in 2021, Brisker evolved from a junior college player to one of the best safeties in the country  by the time he played his last game at Penn State.

Unfortunately, his NFL combine ended prematurely  due to lower back discomfort, and he wasn’t able to run his second 40-yard dash.

Brisker got 22 reps on his bench press, which was just one short of the lead amongst safeties, and ran the 40 in 4.49 second. Brisker also had a vertical leap of 34.50” and a broad jump of 10’4”.

RASHEED WALKER

Walker didn’t workout at the combine, and instead plans to do so at Penn State’s pro day, scheduled for March 24.

ARNOLD EBIKETIE

After a breakout campaign in his only season at Penn State, Ebiketie is thought by some to be a NFL Draft sleeper that has an outside chance of sneaking into the first round.

Ebiketie did 21 reps on the bench, and was second amongst defensive ends with a 38 inch vertical leap and in the broad jump as well (10 feet, eight inches).

Ebiketie didn’t run the 40-yard dash, but nonetheless, did well enough in other categories to help his draft stock or at least not hurt it.

JORDAN STOUT

Either Stout or San Diego State’s Matt Araiza is expected to be the top punter taken in this years draft.

He was one of three punters to run the 40-yard dash— and, for that matter, invited to the combine— and did so in 4.65 seconds.

Where Stout really made a statement, however, was last month in the Senior Bowl, when he averaged 49.5 yards on four punts.

BRANDON SMITH

Physically, there’s little not to like about Smith.

He’s 6-foot-4, 255 pounds and is capable of playing multiple linebacker positions.

Although many feel he never reached his full potential at Penn State— similar to current Baltimore Raven Odafe Oweh—  Smith has a chance to do what Oweh did this past season and put it all together in the pros.

At the combine, Smith ran the fifth-fastest 40 among linebackers, clocking in at 4.52 seconds. He also tied Jesse Luketa in the vertical jump (37.50) and had broad jump of 10 feet, eight inches.

JESSE LUKETA

It would have been hard for Luketa to make as much of an impression at the combine as he did at the Senior Bowl. The Ottawa, Ontario native made a mark throughout his week in Mobile, and capped it off with two sacks in the game.

At the combine, Luketa, who played defensive end in his senior year at Penn State but is generally regarded as a linebacker prospect, was last in the group with a 4.89 40 time. He performed better in the vertical jump, tying Smith for seventh, but didn’t impress in the broad jump, finishing next to last at nine feet, six inches.

Nonetheless, the Canadian impressed in Mobile enough that his stock should be significantly higher than it was when he played his last game at Penn State New Year’s Day.

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