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Jaquan Brisker, Brandon Smith Named Among Top College Football ‘Freaks’

Penn State football’s Brandon Smith and Jaquan Brisker received recognition among college football’s top 101 athletic “freaks” entering the 2021 season, according to The Athletics’s Bruce Feldman.

Feldman, an esteemed college football writer at The Athletic, annually releases a list of the top “freakish” athletes in college football. In recent years, Feldman capped of his list with 50, but he decided to “supersize” it to 101 this time around.

Smith landed at No. 32 on the list following an impressive sophomore season in which he started all nine games and totaled 37 tackles, two sacks, a fumble recovery, and an interception.

According to Feldman, Smith’s freakish attribute is his explosiveness. The 6’3″, 257-pound linebacker has a broad jump of 10’5″ with a 3-foot vertical. Combined with his 4.25 shuttle time and his 335-pound clean, Smith impressed, to say the least.

Brisker, meanwhile, ranked No. 76, which is lower than his previous spot at No. 46. Last season, Brisker had a team-high six pass breakups, was third on the team with 57 tackles and had one interception. He was a third-team All-Big Ten selection in 2020.

Feldman praised Brisker’s speed and strength. The 6’1″, 203-pound safety clocked a “head-spinning” 4.07-second shuffle and can bench 360 pounds, Feldman said.

Former Nittany Lion Shane Simmons was also mentioned on the list at No. 100. The former Nittany Lion transferred to Marshall earlier this year to finish out his collegiate career.

Feldman likes Simmons’ athleticism and believes it will be a great addition for new head coach Charles Huff. The 242-pound defensive end clocked in a 4.65″ 40-yard dash and a vertical of 31 inches.

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About the Author

Tobey Prime

Tobey is a senior studying broadcast journalism from Lancaster, PA. He is a major Pittsburgh sports fan and Miami Heat fanatic. When Tobey isn't writing for Onward State, you can catch him looking at photos of his pugs. Send your best insults to [email protected] or sports takes to @tobey_prime on Twitter.

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