Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1503568
A U G U S T 2 0 2 3 111 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M ZACK KUNTZ TE 0 After three seasons in which he totaled 3 recep- tions for 26 yards, Kuntz left Penn State and saw his profile skyrocket at Old Dominion. Reuniting with former PSU offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne, Kuntz made 85 catches for 836 yards and 7 touchdowns in his two years with the Monarchs despite missing most of the 2022 season due to an injury. He was a seventh-round pick of the New York Jets in the 2023 NFL Draft. WILL LEVIS QB 1 Levis was used mostly as a change-of-pace backup during his time at Penn State, although he did draw one starting assignment — against Iowa in 2020 — before opting to leave for Kentucky prior to the 2021 season. He developed into a star with the Wildcats, throwing for 5,233 yards and ac- counting for 54 total touchdowns in two seasons in Lexington before becoming a second-round pick of the Tennessee Titans in the 2023 NFL Draft. JESSE LUKETA DE/LB 18 Luketa started his Penn State career as a line- backer and finished it as a defensive end. He was a third-team All-Big Ten pick in 2021 at his new position after making 61 tackles (8.5 for loss) and returning an interception for a touchdown. A seventh-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2022 NFL Draft, Luketa is preparing for his second season with the team. JORDAN MINER CB 0 Miner was forced to retire from football in the middle of his first preseason camp due to a heart condition. PJ MUSTIPHER DT 29 Mustipher was a major contributor despite miss- ing half of the 2021 season due to a knee injury. An All-Big Ten pick in 2020 (honorable mention) and 2021 and 2022 (second team), the defensive tackle made 144 career tackles (10.5 for loss) and netted 3 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. The Denver Broncos signed him as an undrafted free agent following the 2023 NFL Draft. ODAFE "JAYSON" OWEH DE 8 Oweh was a unanimous first-team All-Big Ten se- lection following the 2020 season, when he made 38 tackles, including 6.5 for loss. He finished his college career with 63 tackles (13.5 for loss) and 7 sacks. Oweh is now getting set for his third sea- son with the NFL's Baltimore Ravens. MICAH PARSONS LB 12 Parsons led the Lions in tackles despite never starting a game as a true freshman, finishing with 83 stops in 2018 to earn honorable mention All- Big Ten honors. In 2019, he was the Big Ten Line- backer of the Year and a consensus All-American after totaling 109 tackles (14 for loss), 5 sacks and 4 forced fumbles. By the time the Big Ten decided to hold a football season in 2020, Parsons had already made the decision to cut his career short and begin preparing for the NFL Draft. He is now one of the NFL's biggest stars and a two-time All- Pro as a member of the Dallas Cowboys. JAKE PINEGAR K 47 Pinegar had a roller coaster career at Penn State. He lost his starting placekicker job in 2021 only to bounce back and regain it in 2022. The Iowa na- tive set a PSU career record for most extra points with 190 and is fourth in field goals made (49) and attempted (67). He is one of only three Lions to ever cross the 300-point threshold, finishing with 337, which is second all-time. JUICE SCRUGGS OL 26 The versatile Scruggs started his Penn State career as a guard and finished it as a center. He was an honorable mention All-Big Ten choice in 2021 and added third-team all-conference honors in 2022, when he was also a team captain. The Houston Texans took him in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. JUSTIN SHORTER WR 3 A consensus five-star prospect, Shorter caught just 15 passes in two seasons at Penn State. After transferring to Florida, he totaled 95 catches for 1,395 yards and 8 touchdowns in three seasons and went on to become a fifth-round choice of the Buffalo Bills in the 2023 NFL Draft. RICKY SLADE RB 2 Slade carried 92 times for 471 yards and 8 touch- downs in two seasons at Penn State. He trans- ferred to Old Dominion ahead of the 2020 season but never played for the Monarchs. NICK TARBURTON DE 20 Tarburton was a late bloomer who saw his career take off after he moved from linebacker to defen- sive end and overcame the injury problems that had hampered him in his first few seasons. He made 18 tackles (5.5 for loss) and posted 2 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in 2022 to earn honorable mention All-Big Ten honors. Tarburton finished his college career with 53 total tackles, 10 stops for loss and 3 sacks. RASHEED WALKER OT 32 Walker spent three seasons as the starting left tackle for the Nittany Lions. He was twice an All-Big Ten pick and was selected in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. He enters the 2023 season with the NFC North franchise. Final Grade: B+ Nearly half of the players in Penn State's 2018 recruiting class made a significant impact. Not everyone rose to Parsons' level, of course, but that's a pretty good hit rate, and it doesn't take into account that Levis and Kuntz proved to be highly productive players — just not at PSU. The limited impact of five-star recruits Justin Shorter and Ricky Slade does hurt this grade, though, as do the unfortunate retirements of Aseidu and Miner before their careers even began. If the class of 2018 were to be re-ranked, it might not make the top five, but it's certainly in the top 10, hence our grade. NFL Draft Picks • Jahan Dotson — Washington Commanders, first round, No. 16, 2022 • Pat Freiermuth — Pittsburgh Steelers, second round, No. 56, 2021 • Jesse Luketa — Arizona Cardinals, seventh round, No. 256, 2022 • Odafe "Jayson" Oweh — Baltimore Ravens, first round, No. 31, 2021 • Micah Parsons — Dallas Cowboys, first round, No. 12, 2021 • Juice Scruggs — Houston Texans, second round, No. 62, 2023 • Rasheed Walker — Green Bay Packers, seventh round, No. 249, 2022 Note: Three other members of PSU's 2018 class became NFL Draft picks after transferring: Zack Kuntz (New York Jets, seventh round), Will Levis (Tennessee Titans, second round) and Justin Shorter (Buf- falo Bills, fifth round). One other player in the class — PJ Mustipher — signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Denver Broncos.