Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1534903
M A Y 2 0 2 5 3 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M the Tennessee Titans. He earned All-Big Ten honors as a safety for us and has elite athleticism, is extremely competitive, driven, has a high football IQ , and his love of the game shows in his focus and preparation." Safeties Coach Anthony Poindex- ter Says: "KJ Winston is as athletic as they come at the safety position. He is ready for this opportunity with the Ti- tans. He is intentional about everything, takes the game of football very seriously and carries himself in a truly professional manner." JAYLEN REED Team: Houston Texans Round: Sixth Pick: 187th overall The Details: When Winston shut it down just two games into the 2024 season, Reed stepped up in a signifi- cant way. The veteran safety finished his final college season with a team-high 98 tackles, including 7 for loss and 2.5 sacks. He also tied for the team lead with 3 interceptions. Prior to the draft, Reed said his versa- tility was his greatest asset. He showed at Penn State that he could play the field and boundary safety positions, as well as the nickel spot. "A lot of safeties play strong, or they play free, or they play nickel," he said. "I feel like [I can play] all three in the NFL. That's a lot of pressure as a rookie to learn three positions, but it's been some- thing I've been doing my whole life." Franklin Says: "Jaylen is a play- maker, a guy who was committed to tak- ing his game to the next level every time he stepped on the field. He is a disruptive defender, elite tackler and a guy who can create a lot of havoc and force turnovers." Poindexter Says: "Jaylen plays the game with such high intensity and an incredibly high IQ. He is always find- ing himself at the right place to be on any play. … He's a tough kid who brings flexibility to an NFL defense with where he can be positioned in different situa- tions." KOBE KING Team: Minnesota Vikings Round: Sixth Pick: 201st overall The Details: King joins his twin brother, Kalen, in the NFC North. Kalen left the Nittany Lions a year early and was chosen by Green Bay in the seventh round. Now Kobe will have a chance to face him twice a year if the brothers make their respective rosters. Starting all 16 games at middle line- backer last season, King ranked second on the team with 97 tackles and earned an 83.6 overall defensive grade from Pro Football Focus, Penn State's second-best mark behind Carter's 91.3. Having red- shirted as a freshman in 2021, he could have stuck around for another year but chose instead to enter the draft. "I just thought I was ready to take the next step and ready to show the next level that I can be one of the best," King said. "It was a long, thought-out process for me. A lot of things to think about, a lot of things to talk about with my family and go over. Really, it started intrinsically, just talking to myself and sticking with my gut and seeing how I really feel." He added that Penn State's coaching staff supported his decision. "They definitely expressed to me how mature I've become, how my process has been [improving] since I first got here," he said. "I thought I was a pro, and they definitely agreed with it." Franklin Says: "Kobe was the quar- terback of our defense and really produced at a high level at the Mike linebacker posi- tion. … His leadership and role as a team captain were critical to our success this past season. Kobe and his brother, Kalen, meant so much to our program." Linebackers Coach Dan Connor Says: "I've truly enjoyed the opportu- nity to coach Kobe and have a front-row seat to his growth as both a player and a leader. He is one of the hardest-working players I've been around. This past sea- son, he took command in helping run our defense and was a major reason for our success." ■ Four Penn Staters Ink Free Agent Contracts Within hours of the final selection in this year's NFL Draft, four additional Nittany Lions signed free agent con- tracts in hope of launching pro careers. Defensive tackle Coziah Izzard signed with the AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs. His agent told Onward State that the deal is worth more than $2 million over three years, with $225,000 guaran- teed. Izzard made 78 tackles, including 17.5 for loss and 9 sacks, during his Penn State career. "This is a great opportunity for Co- ziah," Penn State defensive line coach Deion Barnes said. "I've really enjoyed getting to work with him over the last five seasons. Coziah is a defensive tackle you could always count on to go in there and execute his role every time his name was called." In addition to Izzard, guard Sal Worm- ley inked a deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars, while a pair of one-and-done transfers — receiver Julian Fleming and cornerback Jalen Kimber — signed with Green Bay and Tennessee, respectively. — Greg Pickel Defensive tackle Coziah Izzard signed with Kansas City after the draft. He appeared in 51 games and made seven starts during his five years at Penn State. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL