Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1464375
4 0 M A Y 2 0 2 2 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Jahan Dotson | WR | 5-11 | 178 Projection: First-/ Second-Round Pick Jahan Dotson hasn't paid any atten- tion to the dozens of mock drafts that have been circulating since the end of the 2021 college football season, if not before. He doesn't have the time or interest, and really, what would be the point? None of those predictions will have any bearing on what happens when the NFL Draft begins April 28 in Las Vegas. Nor does the All-Big Ten wide receiver need someone else to make the case for him as a worthy first-round draft pick. Dotson is quite willing to do that himself. "I truly believe I am the best receiver in the draft," he said in March at Penn State's Pro Day. "I'm up there with the top guys. My film kind of proves that. I feel that every time I step on the field, I play like I'm one of the best, and I feel like I am one of the best." Dotson's résumé is remarkable for both the quality and quantity of his catches. There are some astonishing grabs on his film, like the leaping one-hander he pulled down for a touchdown against Ohio State's Shaun Wade in 2020. There are also plenty of routine catches, too; Dotson had a way of finding the open spaces even in defenses that were primed to stop him, and once the ball was headed in his direction, it was his. He had only two drops on 93 catchable targets last year according to Pro Football Focus. Dotson's sure-handedness led to two big seasons at Penn State. In 2020 and '21, he caught 143 passes for 2,066 yards and 20 touch- downs. Those numbers have helped turn him into one of the highest-profile receivers in the draft. ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has Dotson as the fifth of six first- round wideout selections, going 25th overall to Buffalo. Brentley Weismann of The Draft Network has him going 22nd overall to Green Bay. Dotson insists he's not preoccupied with any of that. "I'm a firm believer in going with the flow," he said, "not only in football but in life in general. I'm a go-with-the-flow kind of guy. My friends and peers, they all talk about [the draft predictions]. I don't really pay too much attention to it. You've got to control what you can con- trol. I can't control that stuff. I just focus on myself and working to get better." Regardless of whether he ends up being a first- or second-round pick, Dotson is going to be in an NFL training camp somewhere this summer. It's a staggering realization for a player who has spent years working toward this moment. "It doesn't feel real that this is my life now," Dotson said. "I'm so close to what I've been dreaming about for a very long time. It's really surreal, and I'm just tak- ing it all in." — Matt Herb What They're Saying About Jahan Dotson "Buffalo released Cole Beasley and brought in Jamison Crowder as an option out of the slot, but Crowder isn't likely to be part of the Bills' long-term plans. Dotson would be. Where would he help most? The Bills ranked last in the league in average yards after the catch (4.3) last season. Dotson is an explosive playmaker who is a threat to score on every touch. He had 1,182 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2021." — Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN "One of the biggest surprises of the offsea- son was the Packers trading Davante Adams to the Raiders, leaving their receiver corps in a world of hurt. Adding a talent like Jahan Dot- son here makes a ton of sense. He is a pristine route-runner with excellent speed down the field. He has outstanding hands and is a men- ace with the ball in his hands." — Brentley Weissman, The Draft Network Measurements ARMS 31 inches HANDS 9.5 inches 40 4.43 seconds BENCH 15 reps VERTICAL 36 inches BROAD 10 feet, 1 inch 3-CONE 7.28 seconds 20-YD. SHUTTLE — 60-YD. SHUTTLE — WHAT HAPPENS WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS IN VEGAS These Penn Staters are hoping NFL teams bet big on their potential when the league holds its draft April 28-30 PHOTO COURTESY PENN STATE ATHLETICS