Warning: this is long... if you don't feel like reading through a long list, leave this thread now. For those interested, read on...
I was kinda curious how many players we’ve put in the NFL over the last 10 years or so. As we all know, O$U has been putting elite players into the NFL for the last decade, maybe longer, so I kinda wondered where we stacked up in comparison. I looked at this because of the perception of some that we should be beating O$U and that losing by 1 point in each of the last 2 years means absolutely nothing. I think Franklin and Co. would agree, it means nothing, we have to win those games, but have we had even close to the talent necessary to do so? After looking this over, the answer, to me, is a resounding NO. Here’s the guys who I remember either getting drafted or signing as an UFA and played, at least a bit, in the NFL. Some may only have made practice squads.
*Indicates a higher draft pick and/or a player who has had success in the NFL, your mileage may vary (i.e. opinions may differ) and one thing is for certain, I certainly may have forgotten some players.
We’ve had very few impact players in the NFL- so clearly we haven’t yet had the kind of kids on our roster to be able to compete with the best, yet we have somehow managed to do that. This will be an interesting exercise in a few years as I suspect a lot more of our players on our current roster will find success in the NFL.
Also, the first two years on this list is incomplete as there are still some players at Penn State or playing elsewhere in college who are likely to get drafted. For example, Gonzalez, Reid and Windsor each , imo, have a shot to get drafted and have an impact in the NFL.
Class of 2015
1. *RB Saquon Barkley
2. OG Ryan Bates
3. DT Kevin Givens
4. DE Shareef Miller
Class of 2014
1. S Marcus Allen
2. S Troy Apke
3. WR Saeed Blacknall
4. LB Jason Cabinda
5. CB Christian Campbell
6. TE Mike Gesicki
7. *WR Chris Godwin
8. CB Grant Haley
9. QB Trace McSorley
10. CB Amani Oruwariye
11. S Nick Scott
Class of 2013
1. LB Brandon Bell
2. DT Curtis Cothran
3. DT Parker Cothren
4. *QB Christian Hackenberg (2nd round pick- did not have an impact)
5. *WR DaeSean Hamilton
6. OG Brendan Mahon
Class of 2012
1. *TE Jesse James
2. *DT Austin Johnson
3. *S Jordan Lucas
4. *CB Trevor Williams
Class of 2011
1. *S Adrian Amos
2. DE Deion Barnes
3. TE Kyle Carter
4. PK Sam Ficken
5. *WR Allen Robinson
6. *OT Donovan Smith
7. DT Anthony Zettel
Class of 2010
1. DE Brad Bars
2. LB Mike Hull
3. *DT Daquan Jones
4. DE CJ Olaniyan
5. RB Silas Redd
Class of 2009
1. WR Justin Brown
2. OL Nate Cadogan
3. LB Glenn Carson
4. *TE Gary Gilliam
5. *DT Jordan Hill
6. LB Gerald Hodges
7. OL Ty Howle
8. OL John Urschel
Class of 2008
1. DE Jack Crawford
2. LB Mike Mauti
3. OL Matt Stankiewitch
Some of the above I may be remembering incorrectly as well so please feel free to correct me. Bottom line, it illustrates the fact that we have not been putting high profile players into the NfL on any kind of consistent basis but we are definitely putting more kids into the NFL over the last few years, I expect that trend to continue.
I was kinda curious how many players we’ve put in the NFL over the last 10 years or so. As we all know, O$U has been putting elite players into the NFL for the last decade, maybe longer, so I kinda wondered where we stacked up in comparison. I looked at this because of the perception of some that we should be beating O$U and that losing by 1 point in each of the last 2 years means absolutely nothing. I think Franklin and Co. would agree, it means nothing, we have to win those games, but have we had even close to the talent necessary to do so? After looking this over, the answer, to me, is a resounding NO. Here’s the guys who I remember either getting drafted or signing as an UFA and played, at least a bit, in the NFL. Some may only have made practice squads.
*Indicates a higher draft pick and/or a player who has had success in the NFL, your mileage may vary (i.e. opinions may differ) and one thing is for certain, I certainly may have forgotten some players.
We’ve had very few impact players in the NFL- so clearly we haven’t yet had the kind of kids on our roster to be able to compete with the best, yet we have somehow managed to do that. This will be an interesting exercise in a few years as I suspect a lot more of our players on our current roster will find success in the NFL.
Also, the first two years on this list is incomplete as there are still some players at Penn State or playing elsewhere in college who are likely to get drafted. For example, Gonzalez, Reid and Windsor each , imo, have a shot to get drafted and have an impact in the NFL.
Class of 2015
1. *RB Saquon Barkley
2. OG Ryan Bates
3. DT Kevin Givens
4. DE Shareef Miller
Class of 2014
1. S Marcus Allen
2. S Troy Apke
3. WR Saeed Blacknall
4. LB Jason Cabinda
5. CB Christian Campbell
6. TE Mike Gesicki
7. *WR Chris Godwin
8. CB Grant Haley
9. QB Trace McSorley
10. CB Amani Oruwariye
11. S Nick Scott
Class of 2013
1. LB Brandon Bell
2. DT Curtis Cothran
3. DT Parker Cothren
4. *QB Christian Hackenberg (2nd round pick- did not have an impact)
5. *WR DaeSean Hamilton
6. OG Brendan Mahon
Class of 2012
1. *TE Jesse James
2. *DT Austin Johnson
3. *S Jordan Lucas
4. *CB Trevor Williams
Class of 2011
1. *S Adrian Amos
2. DE Deion Barnes
3. TE Kyle Carter
4. PK Sam Ficken
5. *WR Allen Robinson
6. *OT Donovan Smith
7. DT Anthony Zettel
Class of 2010
1. DE Brad Bars
2. LB Mike Hull
3. *DT Daquan Jones
4. DE CJ Olaniyan
5. RB Silas Redd
Class of 2009
1. WR Justin Brown
2. OL Nate Cadogan
3. LB Glenn Carson
4. *TE Gary Gilliam
5. *DT Jordan Hill
6. LB Gerald Hodges
7. OL Ty Howle
8. OL John Urschel
Class of 2008
1. DE Jack Crawford
2. LB Mike Mauti
3. OL Matt Stankiewitch
Some of the above I may be remembering incorrectly as well so please feel free to correct me. Bottom line, it illustrates the fact that we have not been putting high profile players into the NfL on any kind of consistent basis but we are definitely putting more kids into the NFL over the last few years, I expect that trend to continue.
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