Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1490816
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 15 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M T he upcoming NFL Draft is likely to feature at least one Penn State athlete prominently, with cornerback Joey Por- ter Jr. expected to become the fifth Nit- tany Lion since 2018 to hear his name called in the first round. In addition, safety Ji'Ayir Brown, tight end Brenton Strange, receivers Parker Washington and Mitchell Tinsley and interior offen- sive lineman Juice Scruggs are among the PSU draft hopefuls who could be selected in the later rounds. While those departing players are getting ready for the league's scouting combine and Penn State's pro day, their former teammates will be continuing to prepare for a much-anticipated 2023 campaign in which they are all but cer- tain to start out as a top-10 team. One of the reasons for the optimism sur- rounding PSU's upcoming season is that coach James Franklin and his staff will bring back two of the more highly re- garded prospects in next year's draft. In mid-January, ESPN surveyed the likely talent pool that will be available to NFL teams at this time a year from now, with longtime draft analyst Matt Miller listing his top three prospects at every position group. Two Penn State players made the cut. Miller placed left tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu and cornerback Kalen King on his list of top 2024 NFL Draft prospects. Fashanu, who will be a fourth-year junior next fall, could have left after the 2022 season but opted to return in a move that had Penn State fans rejoicing in early December. "Fashanu might have been the top- ranked tackle for the 2023 class if he had entered the draft, but he will return to Happy Valley with a chance to be a top- five overall pick and potentially bring the offensive tackle position back to the No. 1 overall slot in 2024," Miller wrote. "Fashanu has all the measurables we look for in elite tackles, but it's the way he initiates contact with length, power and a strong base that makes him the OT1 for next year. The 6-foot-6, 321-pound tackle has fantastic agility, as well. He didn't allow a single sack (and just two pressures) on 280 pass- block snaps in 2022." Fashanu missed the final five games of the Lions' season due to an undis- closed injury. He is expected to be a full participant in spring practice, however, and will anchor a Penn State offensive line that returns three Rose Bowl start- ers: rising sophomore tackle Drew Shel- ton, redshirt senior guard Sal Wormley and super senior guard Hunter Nourzad. Fashanu's inclusion on Miller's list was not surprising, nor was King's. The rising junior is sure to earn preseason All-America notice heading into the 2023 campaign. He has strong cover- age skills and a nose for the football, as evidenced by his 3 interceptions and 18 pass breakups in 2022. His total of 21 passes defended (interceptions plus breakups) ranked third in the FBS this past season. "King returns to college as one of the most prolific corners in the nation," Miller noted. "He's my top-ranked player at the position heading into the 2023 college season, thanks to great ball skills, quick- ness and a sturdy 5-foot-11, 188-pound frame. He's silky smooth in transitions and punishes quarterbacks who throw in his direction." Two Nittany Lions Hailed As Top 2024 Draft Prospects G R E G P I C K E L | G R E G . P I C K E L @ O N 3 . C O M Left tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu would likely have been a first-round pick had he elected to leave Penn State this year, but in early December he announced he was returning for his junior season. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL