Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1520787
J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 2 4 3 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M up front. It's hard to even categorize what type of defense the Ravens run. This team does a bit of everything. It will use a three-down front, then incorporate that same personnel group into a four-down look, then switch into a classic four-man defensive line. The Ravens use an im- pressive variety of body types and skill sets and make these switches in-game to combat different offensive groupings. It may be a bit of a cop-out, but Isaac fits well with the Ravens because the Ra- vens will make sure he finds a good fit in their scheme. They have the versatility to play him as a rotational edge defender who can stop the run and get after the quarterback. Those are Isaac's skills, so he'll be asked to use them. The most interesting aspect of Isaac's fit with the Ravens actually has more to do with Oweh. The 31st overall pick in 2021, he has been a good-but-not-elite player to date. The Ravens have intentionally cycled through edge rushers instead of spending big money on the premier NFL defensive position. Isaac is the next low- cost option who may take over for Oweh eventually. The team recently picked up Oweh's fifth-year option on his rookie contract. We'll see if Baltimore plans to keep both or ends up replacing one Nit- tany Lion with another long-term. Theo Johnson Team: New York Giants Round: Fourth Pick: 107th overall The Details: Going into this year's draft, Penn State had produced three sec- ond-round tight ends since 2018, with Mike Gesicki going to Miami, Pat Freier- muth to Pittsburgh, and Brenton Strange to Jacksonville. The 6-6, 261-pound Johnson had seemed like a potential sec- ond-rounder, too, after a solid showing at the NFL Combine in which he turned in a 4.57-second 40-yard dash and a 39.5- inch vertical leap. Johnson ended up slipping into the fourth round, and the Giants pounced when he was still available on Day 3. They got a player whose college stats — 77 catches for 938 yards and 12 touchdowns — may not be indicative of his pro po- tential. Franklin Says: "The New York Giants gained a special athlete, teammate and leader. Theo brings an immense amount of size and speed to the tight end position, making him an excellent NFL prospect. He played in 44 career games for us with 29 starts and brought great leadership to our organization as a team captain." Tight Ends Coach Ty Howle Says: "I am fired up for Theo and his family. The New York Giants just drafted a re- ally special player whose size, speed and athleticism will be a problem for NFL de- fenses. He has a high football IQ and is determined to be great. He stepped up as a leader for our room and this program." Carr Analysis: You don't have to look far to see how the Giants plan to use John- son at the next level. They traded for Pro Bowl tight end Darren Waller last year, and the way they used him in 2023 is a great template for how they can use Johnson. Waller spent most of his snaps off the line of scrimmage as a big slot receiver. According to Pro Football Focus, 52 per- cent of his snaps came in the slot, and 21.5 percent came from a wide alignment. If the Giants plan to use Johnson as a backup or potential replacement for Waller, this is a good fit. Waller has been openly con- templating retirement this offseason. Johnson was PSU's primary blocking tight end for the past two seasons, but he got a chance to show off his downfield skills in 2022. He averaged 22.9 yards per reception that year when lined up in the slot, which was second-highest of any FBS tight end with 10 or more targets. Johnson may struggle if asked to serve as the team's inline tight end. Despite his size, he never scored a PFF run-blocking grade above 60.0 in any season at Penn State. Hunter Nourzad Team: Kansas City Chiefs Round: Fifth Pick: 159th overall The Details: Nourzad suffered a poorly timed leg injury that prevented him from doing a full workout at the NFL Combine and at Penn State's Pro Day. The only testing he did at those events was in the bench press, totaling 27 reps. By that time, though, NFL teams had seen enough. The versatile offensive lineman had shined as an All-Ivy League tackle early in his career at Cornell, and he excelled at both guard and center in two seasons at Penn State, earning second- team All-Big Ten notice following his su- per senior campaign. Franklin Says: "Hunter is a true pro- fessional and is respected by his team- mates and coaches. He is a gritty and tough athlete who will be able to play any of the interior offensive line positions in the NFL." Three Lions Earn Free Agent Opportunities Following Draft In addition to the eight Penn State players who were selected in the 2024 draft, three more found landing spots as undrafted free agents. Outside linebacker Curtis Jacobs signed a free agent contract with Kansas City on April 27, shortly after the draft concluded. Jacobs was a mainstay on the Penn State defense for three seasons. He tallied 105 career tackles, including 24 for loss and 9.5 sacks, while adding 2 interceptions in 45 career games. After concluding his college career, Jacobs decided to bulk up for the draft. He showed up at the NFL Combine in February weighing 241 pounds and still ran a sub-4.60-second 40-yard dash. He also had a 35-inch vertical leap and 10-foot, 9-inch broad jump at Penn State's Pro Day. But Jacobs never had an opportunity at Penn State to show that he could play in the box. The emer- gence of Abdul Carter meant that Jacobs mostly lined up as a field linebacker, a position that doesn't ex- ist in the NFL. However, Jacobs will get a chance to prove he can play between the tackles for the Chiefs. Kansas City also extended a minicamp invitation to running back Trey Potts, who rushed for 155 yards and 2 touchdowns on 25 attempts in his lone season at Penn State after transferring from Minnesota. The Tennessee Titans signed safety Keaton Ellis, a 13-game starter in 2022 who finished his five-year PSU career with 89 tackles and 2 interceptions in 56 games. — Greg Pickel