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Where Do Nittany Lions Fall In Post-Super Bowl NFL Mock Drafts?

With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers now crowned Super Bowl champions this past Sunday, the NFL’s offseason is finally here.

Next up for the league is the 2021 NFL Draft, which is set to get started on April 29. Unsurprisingly, a number of Nittany Lions could hear their names called throughout the highly anticipated event.

While the draft is still more than two months away, it’s never too soon to take a look at what some of the “draft experts” have to say.

Chad Reuter (NFL.com)

Chad Reuter released a three-round mock draft the day after the Super Bowl. He has the Denver Broncos selecting Micah Parsons with the No. 9 overall pick and called the linebacker a “stud.”

Parsons is the only Penn Stater Reuter projects as a first-round pick. However, Reuter predicts Oweh will end up getting drafted No. 38 overall by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round.

Pat Freiermuth’s landing spot in the mock draft is later in the second round to the Tennessee Titans with the No. 53 overall pick.

Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports)

Ryan Wilson, like Reuter, has only one Nittany Lion in the first round of his mock draft. He projects Parsons as the No. 10 overall pick to the Dallas Cowboys.

Wilson had high praise for Parsons and called him “one of the best pure athletes in this draft class.”

Parsons certainly showed off his athleticism during his two-year career as a Nittany Lion with his 191 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and six forced fumbles.

Dalton Miller (Pro Football Network)

Dalton Miller has a bit of a surprise in his two-round mock draft. He envisions Parsons falling all the way to the Washington Football Team at No. 19 overall. While he acknowledges Parsons’ talent, he has some concerns about the 2019 consensus All-American.

“Micah Parsons is a freak athlete at the position who has upside as a pass rusher, but inconsistent tape and questionable off-field character have tanked his once Teflon draft stock inside the top-10,” Miller said.

Miller has the New York Jets taking Oweh at No. 39 overall. Miller praises Oweh’s explosiveness but says “as a football player, there isn’t a whole lot there.”

Miller sees Freiermuth landing with the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 45 overall. Unlike his critique of Parsons and Oweh, he has nothing but praise for “Baby Gronk.”

“There is nothing more beneficial to a young quarterback (outside of great protection) than a security-blanket tight end,” Miller said. “That is what Pat Freiermuth brings. He also blocks as a traditional TE should.”

Freiermuth emerged as one of the best tight ends in the country during his time at Penn State, posting 92 receptions, 1,185 yards, and 16 touchdowns during his three-year career.

Ralph Vacchiano (SNY)

Both Parsons and Oweh are first-round picks in Ralph Vacchiano’s mock draft.

Vacchiano has Parsons going No. 7 overall to the Detroit Lions, which is more on par with what Wilson and Reuter predict. Oweh’s landing spot is in the mid-20s to the Jaguars at No. 25 overall. Vacchiano doesn’t see Freiermuth as a first-round pick at this point.

Brent Sobleski (Bleacher Report)

Sobleski, like Vacchiano, has Parsons and Oweh in the first round in his mock draft.

Sobleski agrees with Reuter and has the Broncos selecting Parsons with the No. 9 overall pick. He mentioned that Parsons could be the future defensive face of the franchise after Von Miller’s eventual departure.

“Parsons is a potential difference-maker as a three-down linebacker with the athleticism to prowl sideline to sideline while also factoring into multiple pressure packages,” Sobleski said.

Oweh is projected to be the last pick in the first round to the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers.

“Oweh is a supreme athlete whose upside supersedes his overall production,” Sobleski said. “In seven games during his final season on campus, the Nittany Lions defensive end didn’t register a single sack. Yet the physical traits are apparent—he’s 6’5″ and 252 pounds with long arms, a powerful strike and explosive burst—to become a future standout pass-rusher at the professional level.”

Oweh may not have had a sack this past season, but he was superb against the run with 38 tackles, 6.5 being for a loss.

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About the Author

Gabe Angieri

After a four-year career with Onward State, Gabe is now a college graduate and off to the real world. He shockingly served as the blog’s managing editor during the 2022-23 school year and covered football for much of his Onward State tenure, including trips to the Outback Bowl and Rose Bowl. For any professional inquiries, please email Gabe at [email protected]. You can still see his bad sports takes on Twitter at @gabeangieri.

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