Penn State is fully focused on its College Football Playoff semifinal round matchup with Notre Dame. With a win, it will move on to the final contest of the year: The national title game. Some Nittany Lions, like star tight end Tyler Warren, will have to move on whenever the season ends. Others, like All-American junior Abdul Carter, running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, and more, will have a stay-or-go decision to make. As the college football world readies for back-to-back days of semifinals on Thursday and Friday, the NFL world is gearing up for the start of the Playoffs while also continuing the mock draft process. That’s where we briefly turn our focus today.
ESPN’s Jordan Reid has a new look at how the first 32 picks could go now that selections 1-18 are locked in due to those teams missing the postseason. He has two Nittany Lions going on day one of the Draft. It, by the way, is on April 24-26 in Green Bay, Wisc. Unsurprisingly, Carter is first off the board. The unanimous and consensus All-American will declare for the pros at the end of this season. Reid projects that he will then land with the Las Vegas Raiders. They have the No. 6 overall selection.
“The Raiders seem to have played themselves out of selecting a quarterback for the second consecutive year. Two wins in their final three games would put them out of position for Ward or Sanders, barring an expensive trade-up,” Reid writes “Like their process in drafting Brock Bowers in 2024, the Raiders could select the best player available in this spot.
“The 6-foot-3, 259-pound Carter fits that bill, as he is the No. 2 overall prospect on my board. He has a lightning-quick first step, with a 17.7% pressure rate (fourth best in the FBS) and 11 sacks this season.”
Warren is the other Penn State star projected to go in the first round. Reid sends him to Indianapolis. It owns the No. 14 overall selection.
“[Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson] needs more quality players to throw to in the pass game,” Reid writes. “Warren would help fill that void. His alignment versatility makes him one of the most dangerous targets in the country. The 6-foot-6, 257-pound
“Warren’s 77.2 receiving yards per game ranks second among FBS tight ends. Not only did he accumulate 98 catches for 1,158 yards and eight touchdowns, but he’s also a dependable run blocker who could assist the Colts’ rushing attack.”
Eight Penn State players were picked in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Lions have had at least five selections for seven straight years. PSU is also one of three schools that have had a player selected in one of the first three rounds for 19 consecutive years. USC and LSU are the others. That Penn State streak will hit 20 years this spring.