Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1464375
M A Y 2 0 2 2 41 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Measurements ARMS 34 inches HANDS 10.25 inches 40 4.65 seconds BENCH 19 reps VERTICAL 38 inches BROAD 10 feet, 8 inches 3-CONE 6.95 seconds 20-YD. SHUTTLE 4.24 seconds 60-YD. SHUTTLE — Arnold Ebiketie | DE | 6-2 | 250 Projection: First-/ Second-Round Pick Arnold Ebiketie isn't getting caught up in the possibilities. On an NFL.com scale that ranges from 5.5 ("priority undrafted free agent") to 8.0 ("the perfect prospect"), Ebiketie's NFL prospect grade is a 6.34 ahead of April's draft. The prognostication attached to it? "Will eventually be a plus starter." In Ebiketie's mind, that might be a minimum. "I think if you watch my film, you see someone that is versatile, someone that can play on the ball and off the ball. I'm a hard worker, and that's something I plan to continue doing," Ebiketie said. "They're getting someone that's going to come out there and compete." That wasn't always the case for Ebik- etie. He had picked up football after im- migrating to the United States from Cameroon as a 13-year-old and said he never initially considered the NFL as his destination in the game. Given his relatively low profile at Albert Ein- stein High School in Kensington, Md., followed by a slow climb through the Temple Owls program, that might have remained true. But by gradually increasing his impact with the Owls, Ebiketie found his foot- ing as a sophomore, and a career in pro football began to seem realistic. "Sometimes you take a step back and realize you're putting so much work into something, why not go all the way? Why not try to accomplish all the goals?" he said. "You see some of those guys, where they're at today, and you're try- ing to do the same thing. "I knew that if I were to invest myself, I had an opportunity to go all the way with football." Starting six games during the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Ebiketie notched four sacks and 29 tackles with the Owls. Maybe more important, he gave himself an opportunity to finish his career at a Power Five school, transfer- ring to Penn State during the offseason. During his year with the Nit- tany Lions, he had a chance to f u r t h e r h i s d eve l o p m e n t by working with defensive line coach John Scott Jr. and grad assistant Deion Barnes. That work led to a breakout season. Ebiketie earned a first-team All-Big Ten nod and was accorded second-team All-America status by the FWAA. Now facing a future loaded with possibilities and potential, Ebiketie is ready to both reflect on his atypical journey and move on to what's next. "I feel like now, everything is mov- ing so fast, I haven't had time to take a step back and look at my journey," Ebiketie said. "I know at some point, maybe during the draft, it's going to hit me. It's been crazy. "You look back, my route was dif- ferent. It was a lot of ups and downs, and all that matters is I'm here today." — Nate Bauer What They're Saying About Arnold Ebiketie "He's a real good player. He's a pass rusher supreme. He flies off the edge, plays with an edge as well. Consistent from Day 1 all the way through the season. [Almost] recorded double-digit sacks. I love this kid. He can play up, play down. He gets after it. He's got more than [just getting after the quarterback]. He's got a variety already. Arnold Ebiketie, I really believe by the time we get to late April, will be in the middle of the first. That's why I put him there." — Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN "Ebiketie projects as a pass-rush specialist early in his career, with the potential to develop into a full-time starter. His game remains a bit unpolished, but he's made major strides the past three years and has the athletic profile to continue adding tricks to his bag. Ebiketie likely can fit in any type of front, but we endorse the idea of deploying him as a stand-up rusher for an odd-front de- fense." — Eric Edholm, Yahoo Sports PHOTO COURTESY PENN STATE ATHLETICS