Penn State Football

HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 254

HAND: 9⅛"

ARM: 32½"

WINGSPAN: 76¼"

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40-YARD DASH: 4.48

3-CONE:

SHUTTLE: 4.25

VERTICAL: 34.5"

BROAD: 10'8"

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POSITIVES

— Elite get-off, quick to react to the snap and explosive off the line of scrimmage.

— Uses the stem phase of the rush well to set up his pass-rush moves, getting to square on the offensive lineman and has some shake to get offensive tackles to hesitate or stop their feet.

— Has a handful of finesse moves he can win with like a hand swipe, stick move and ghost rush.

— Can beat tackles who have a weak base when turning speed to power.

— Very bendy to turn tight corners at the top of the rush.

— Gets penetration when slanting with his movement skills and physicality at the point of attack.

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NEGATIVES

— Lean frame, could afford to add some size and strength to hold up against the run better and be more effective when bull-rushing.

— Hand placement is a little wide when taking on blocks against the run and when using power as a rusher.

— Turns his shoulders perpendicular to the line of scrimmage when setting the edge.

— Balance is an issue as a rusher; gets knocked off his path too easily and struggles to recover.

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2023 STATISTICS

— 10 G, 15 TOT, 7.5 TFL, 4.0 SK, 1 PD, 1 FR, 2 FF

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NOTES

— Born Jan. 2, 2003

— 4-star recruit in the 2021 class, per 247Sports

— Maryland transfer

— Injuries: 2023 (Undisclosed, missed 2* games), 2022 (Undisclosed, missed 1 game)

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OVERALL

Demeioun "Chop" Robinson might have the best combination of get-off and bend in this draft class. He's lightning-quick off the ball and very flexible in his lower body.

He's a top-tier athlete which, combined with how well he sets up his pass-rush moves, gives him a ton of potential as an edge-rusher in the NFL.

Robinson also has sneaky strength and is physical at the point of attack. That helps him take advantage of weaker offensive tackles when turning speed to power and overcome some of his size deficiencies as a run defender when his hands and leverage are right. However, his hand placement and leverage are inconsistent.

The Penn State product also has a lot more traits than production right now, making him more of a project. He has made a handful of impactful plays via sacks and tackles for loss, but the consistency play in and play out just isn't there right now. He needs to add some size to be more stout against the run, which should coincide with more production.

Schematically, Robinson would be best as a standup outside linebacker for a team that uses a lot of odd fronts.

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GRADE: 8.0 (Year 1 Starter — Late 1st Round/Early 2nd Round)

OVERALL RANK: 19

POSITION RANK: EDGE4

PRO COMPARISON: Josh Uche

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

Visit B/R's NFL Scouting Department hub for scouting reports on all of the top prospects.

The Penn State Nittany Lions only managed 238 yards of offense—including just 74 yards through the air—and 15 points against Michigan on Saturday. It was another disappointing performance against a top conference rival after a 20-12 loss to Ohio State in October.

Those performances were reportedly the final straw for offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich, and according to Greg Pickel of On3.com, Penn State fired him on Sunday.

Penn State fires OC Mike Yurcich. Ja’Juan Seider & Ty Howle named interim OCs. “We thank Mike for his contributions over the last three years but feel it is in our program’s best interest to make a change at this time. We wish him & his family nothing but the best in the future,”…

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) November 12, 2023

Yurcich, 48, served as Penn State's play-caller and quarterbacks coach dating back to the 2021 season.

Head coach James Franklin was critical of the game plan following the loss to Michigan, perhaps foreshadowing Sunday's move.

"We've got to do a better job of calling a game to allow our quarterback to get into rhythm," he told reporters. "That is critical. We've got to find easy completions for a quarterback to get into rhythm. That's what everybody does. We've got to do a good job of that. And then on top of that, although there weren't sacks, there were too many pressures and there were too many times where we were not creating separation."

The Nittany Lions have churned through offensive coordinators during Franklin's 10 years on the job:

Penn State's next offensive coordinator will be its sixth under James Franklin.

— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) November 12, 2023

The question now, however, is when the spotlight will fall on Franklin himself.

He's 4-16 against Michigan and Ohio State during his time in Happy Valley, and his reputation as a coach incapable of winning the biggest games—and as an excellent recruiter who struggles with the Xs and Os aspect of the job—felt solidified after Saturday's performance against a Michigan program without the beleaguered Jim Harbaugh:

Can’t say I’ve seen too many things like the James Franklin era at Penn State. You know their exact record, down to the specific wins and losses, before the season even starts.

— Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) November 11, 2023

james franklin just got outcoached by a team without a coach.

— Annie Agar (@AnnieAgar) November 11, 2023

James Franklin will take lots of heat for this, losing to an acting head coach w/ his offense getting embarrassed.
This was Franklin's chance to prove things have changed.
Instead, he proved nothing has changed.
PSU is a program that wins lots of games but loses the biggest ones.

— Cory Giger (@CoryGiger) November 11, 2023

James Franklin is one of the worst in game strategists (with a good team) that I’ve seen.

— John Kincade (@JohnKincade) November 11, 2023

"We've lost to the No. 1 and the No. 3 team in the country, that's not good enough," Franklin told reporters after the loss. "We have to find ways to win those games."

Penn State has four seasons with double-digit wins under Franklin and appears headed for a fifth. It won't be enough to get them into this year's College Football Playoff, however.

Granted, 10-win seasons may become a bit more palatable for Penn State in the future, when the playoff format expands from four teams to 12. The counterpoint, of course, is that the addition of USC, Oregon, Washington and UCLA is about to make the Big Ten an even tougher slog.

So Franklin needs to get the offensive coordinator appointment right. If not, he may find himself on the chopping block next.

While he may not be a household name like USC's Caleb Williams, Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. or UNC's Drake Maye, Penn State offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu is quickly finding himself among the most sought after prospects of the upcoming NFL draft.

In fact, ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. sees Fashanu as such an elite prospect that he could have been the No. 1 overall pick in 2024 had it not been for other generational talents like Williams and Harrison.

"In any other class -- a class without Williams and Harrison -- he'd be the easy pick as the No. 1 overall prospect," Kiper wrote. "That's what kind of talent he has. Fashanu has the size, footwork and physical traits teams want in a high-end left tackle. He moves effortlessly and with urgency, getting his hands on second-level defenders with ease.

"The exciting part? Fashanu is still developing. He has started just nine games, including eight last season, and doesn't turn 21 years old until December. If he lives up to his potential, it's not out of the question that he gets an Orlando Pace-type grade heading into next year's draft."

In his recent NFL draft rankings, Kiper had Fashanu rated as his third-best overall prospect in the class, only trailing Williams and Harrison—who are both widely projected to be the first two selections off the board.

Fashanu sits ahead of other top players like Maye, Colorado's Shedeur Sanders, Georgia's Brock Bowers, Alabama's Kool-aid McKinstry, among others.

In three seasons at Penn State, Fashanu has quickly evolved into one of the most elite tackle prospects of the last several years. In eight games last season at left tackle he allowed zero sacks in 281 pass blocking snaps and was named a Walter Camp second-team All-American.

The Big Ten's prime-time Black Friday football game between Michigan State and Penn State will take place at Ford Field.

The Spartans announced the date and start time for the Nov. 24 matchup on Wednesday:

Primetime in the Motor City.#RELENTLESS pic.twitter.com/mPsUK93145

— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) May 24, 2023

The Big Ten's media rights deal signed in August, which guarantees the conference more than $8 billion over the next seven years, included an agreement for an additional prime-time Black Friday game on NBC.

CBS will broadcast the afternoon matchup between Iowa and Nebraska on the post-Thanksgiving holiday.

Even though the media rights contracts were finalized in August, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported earlier this week there was "pushback from a number of schools" about playing late-November night games in the new deal. He added "tens of millions of dollars" in the NBC deal were in "flux" because teams in the conference historically haven't been required to play prime-time games after the first week of November "for myriad reasons— health, recovery and campus logistics among them."

According to Thamel, athletic departments and coaches throughout the Big Ten were "surprised" November night games were included in the package and they "weren't asked for permission to play them prior to the deal or informed of the change" before the deal.

The scheduling issues are still "being worked through," but Thamel noted Penn State, Michigan State and Ohio State agreed to some concessions to "make short-term sacrifices to help the league make up for some lost revenue from the NBC deal."

Ford Field is set to host two football games in the span of 31 hours on Thanksgiving weekend. The Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions will play on Thanksgiving Day at 12:30 p.m. ET.

Per Chris Solari of the Detroit Free Press, the Michigan High Schools Athletic Association agreed to bump its eight state championship events scheduled for Ford Field back by one day to accommodate the Penn State-Michigan State game.

This will mark the 37th all-time meeting between the two Big Ten programs. Penn State leads the series 18-7-1 and has won three of the last four games, including a 35-16 victory last season.

HEIGHT: 5'11"

WEIGHT: 203

HAND: 10 1/8"

ARM: 31 1/4"

WINGSPAN: TBD

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40-YARD DASH: 4.65

3-CONE: TBD

SHUTTLE: TBD

VERTICAL: 32 1/2"

BROAD: 9'11"

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POSITIVES

— Versatile player who can fill multiple spots.

— Does a great job reading the quarterback and diagnosing plays.

— Very strong run defender who's most comfortable in the box.

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NEGATIVES

— Tends to struggle with open-field tackling in one-on-one situations.

— Can take himself out of position due to being too aggressive at the ball.

— Lacks top-end speed.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 13 G, 74 TOT, 2 FF, 4 INT, 3 PD, 4.5 SK

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NOTES

— DOB: 01/25/2000

— 25 Starts

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OVERALL

Ji'Ayir Brown was utilized in a myriad of ways at Penn State. That versatility should be a boost to his draft stock.

A two-year starter in Happy Valley, Brown recorded four interceptions and 4.5 sacks in 2022, which highlighted his ability to contribute in different ways on defense. As versatile, chess-piece style defenders become more prevalent within the NFL, players like Brown will have no issue finding a place in the pros.

Brown is an instinctive player who excels in zone coverage and does a great job of reading the quarterback in the passing game. He hauled in 10 interceptions over the past two seasons. However, he's overaggressive when attacking the ball at times, which causes him to fall out of position. Without the makeup speed to recover, that tendency could result in him being manipulated in coverage in the NFL.

Brown's strong instincts translate to the run game, where his high motor shines through. He possesses some real short-yardage burst coming downhill as a willing and capable tackler, perhaps best showcased on the blitz (4.5 sacks in 2022). Although his athletic shortcomings and lack of body control can be apparent against ball-carriers at the second level, Brown is a strong run defender overall.

While Brown cannot fully capitalize on his instincts due to his lack of overall speed and athleticism, he has experience at a multitude of spots and will provide valuable depth to an NFL team. His overall upside as a player may be capped by his lack of a true position and athletic profile, but his understanding of the game and ability to fill multiple spots should please most coordinators. Overall, Brown is a valuable depth piece who will be able to contribute in multiple ways.

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GRADE: 6.9 (Potential Role Player/Round 4)

OVERALL RANK: 94

POSITION RANK: S6

PRO COMPARISON: Brandon Jones

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

HEIGHT: 6'3"

WEIGHT: 301

HAND: 33 1/4"

ARM: 10 1/4"

WINGSPAN: 81 3/4

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40-YARD DASH: 5.22

3-CONE: 7.75

SHUTTLE: 4.82

VERTICAL: 32"

BROAD: 8'6"

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POSITIVES

— Sets a firm anchor; braces and absorbs force without ceding much ground

— Initiates contact with solid pad level and tight hands to work inside and underneath his target

— Keeps his feet churning through contact and strains to finish, using his body to shield and wall off defenders

— Excels on double-teams as the post and drive man to cover up and hold his ground with the needed jolt in his hands to bump and feed the defensive tackle

— Has the proven versatility, body type and strength to offer guard/center flexibility

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NEGATIVES

— Struggles to adjust positioning and stay latched once stacked, leading to falling off of blocks late in the rep

— Sluggish redirect skills sap his ability to mirror and recover against late blitzes/loopers and counter moves

— Hot and cold strike timing on wider alignments that skilled hand-fighters can exploit to cross face

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2022 STATISTICS

— 12 starts at center

— Team captain

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NOTES

— Former 4-star interior offensive line recruit out of Cathedral Prep High School in Erie, Pennsylvania

— Missed the 2019 season because of a broken back suffered in a car accident

— 26 career starts: 17 at center and nine at RG

— Invited to the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl

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OVERALL

Frederick "Juice" Scruggs is a two-year starter with 26 career starts between center and right guard, including 13 starts at center inside Penn State's balanced offensive approach and multiple-run scheme in 2022. Scruggs has a thick, sturdy build with average arm length, adequate athletic ability and good play strength.

In the run game, Scruggs is stout and strong at the point of attack, with the needed pad level and a tight initial punch to establish leverage on base and double-team blocks. From there he plays with good effort and does a solid job running his feet to wall off and secure the first level. When Scruggs doesn't win the initial leverage battle and gets stacked, he struggles to regain control and close space on the defender, resulting in falling off of blocks late in the rep, which can lead to late-developing rush lanes getting slammed shut. Scruggs is below average on the move on climbs, lacking the reach or range to track down and latch on targets consistently, but he does take a calculated, square path to force them off of their spot.

Scruggs is a linear pass-protector who succeeds using his girth and play strength to take on force and quickly find his anchor. He will struggle landing his strike on wider alignments and has minimal burst or lateral quickness to plug lanes against late-developing blitzes and line games or recover against skilled, seasoned hand-fighters and counter moves.

Overall, Scruggs is a sturdy, strong and physical presence on the interior with the ability to hold the point, anchor and play firm against power. He shows below-average lateral quickness, recovery skills and strike timing against widely aligned, quality pass-rushers that cap his ceiling as a swing interior backup with potential spot-starter potential assuming his medical history checks out.

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GRADE: 6.0 (High-Level Developmental Prospect/Round 5)

OVERALL RANK: 187

POSITION RANK: IOL17

PRO COMPARISON: Justin McCray

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

HEIGHT: 6'3 3/4"

WEIGHT: 253

HAND: 9 5/8"

ARM: 31 1/8"

WINGSPAN: 75 1/8"

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40-YARD DASH: 4.70

3-CONE: 7.25

SHUTTLE: 4.46

VERTICAL: 36"

BROAD: 10'4"

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POSITIVES

— Above-average speed. Has enough juice to be a playmaker.

— Very good explosive ability. Can make sharp cuts and make defenders miss.

— Above-average YAC in limited sample. Tough, explosive profile.

— Good blocker. Feisty, strong, and has enough size.

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NEGATIVES

— Middling flexibility and change of direction. A bit stiff in space.

— Below-average route runner right now. Can be a little upright and struggle transitioning out of breaks.

— Did not show many instances of winning the ball in the air.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 13 G, 32 REC, 362 YDS (11.3 AVG), 5 TD

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NOTES

— DOB: December 27, 2000

— 4-star recruit in 2018 class, per 247 Sports' composite rating

— 30 career starts

— 2022 third-team All-Big Ten

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OVERALL

Brenton Strange is a solid Day 3 bet on explosiveness and a hunger for blocking.

Strange is an intriguing athlete when it comes to speed and explosive ability. Though not a true burner for the position, Strange runs well for a 253-pounder. He's got the speed to threaten seams and crossers at a baseline level, which is enough to reasonably make him a three-level threat. Strange also plays with great burst. Whether it's his first few steps off the line or with the ball, Strange has a way of kicking it up two gears as soon as he wants to. That helps him greatly as a YAC threat, especially when paired with his toughness.

Strange also has nice tools as a blocker. He's not overwhelming, but Strange clears the thresholds when it comes to size and strength for in-line blocking. Better yet, Strange is pretty feisty and willing to get his hands dirty, which only serves to maximize the strength he does have.

On the flip side, Strange isn't a finished receiver yet. Strange's route-running, in particular, leaves something to be desired. He plays high and doesn't show the bend to get in and out of route breaks comfortably, leading to inconsistent separation. It's likely going to take him some time to iron out those skills in the NFL.

Strange also needs to prove himself more as a ball-winner. He has the size, strength, and explosive ability for it, but it wasn't a consistent part of his game in college.

Strange can be a viable TE2 out of the gate with the potential to grow into more down the line. His blend of size, speed, and explosion is enticing, and his blocking skills translate to being able to play both in-line and as a wing/H. The hope is that a couple years of NFL coaching can level-up Strange's route-running and contested catch ability.

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GRADE: 6.5 (Potential Role Player/Round 4)

OVERALL RANK: 139

POSITION RANK: TE9

PRO COMPARISON: Tommy Tremble

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen

HEIGHT: 5'10"

WEIGHT: 204

HAND: 10 1/8"

ARM: 29"

WINGSPAN:

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40-YARD DASH: N/A

3-CONE: N/A

SHUTTLE: N/A

VERTICAL: N/A

BROAD: N/A

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POSITIVES

— Good strength and balance with the ball. Almost moves like a running back.

— Above-average short-area mobility and change of direction.

— Reliable feel and spacing in the underneath area.

— Above-average hands; flashes the ability to make diving catches.

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NEGATIVES

— Short build with very short arms. Difficult for Washington to play the ball in the air or in traffic.

— Not a crisp, explosive route-runner. Doesn't have much pop in and out of breaks.

— Below-average speed and quickness. Can struggle to separate; not a major explosive play threat with the ball.

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2022 STATISTICS

— 10 G, 46 REC, 611 YDS (13.3 AVG), 2 TD

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NOTES

— DOB: March 21, 2002

— 4-star recruit in 2020 class, per 247Sports' composite rating

— 24 career starts

— Missed the final three games of the 2022 season with an undisclosed injury.

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OVERALL

Parker Washington is a thick, reliable underneath YAC option who may struggle to pop off the screen in the NFL.

Washington does his best work in the one-to-10-yard range. When let loose on zone beaters and quick YAC-based routes, Washington is a steady presence. For one, he has the savvy to consistently work to open space in the underneath area. He also flashes the hand-eye coordination and flexibility to make catches outside his frame and help the quarterback out a little.

Washington also brings a running back-like presence as a ball-carrier thanks to his natural open-field vision, strength and balance. Though not the most electric ball-carrier, Washington's strength and thick frame allow him to fight through contact and eek out bits of yardage here and there, which is a useful skill for someone who must live in the underneath area.

On the other hand, Washington falls short when it comes to game-changing traits. Athletically, Washington has little to be excited over. His acceleration and speed are middling, and he doesn't have the quick-twitch explosiveness you normally expect from a player his height. Those lackluster athletic traits hurt Washington both as a route-runner and explosive play threat.

Likewise, Washington struggles to make difficult catches. He shows the ability to find the ball outside his frame, but even then, his short arms can make it hard to finish on those opportunities. Washington's short arms and uninspiring jumping ability also make him underwhelming when it comes to playing the ball in the air or in traffic.

Washington could find a role as a backup or rotational slot player. His thick frame, short-area management and hard-nosed YAC skills give him a decent floor to work with. Washington's athletic profile and issues at the catch point limit his ceiling quite a bit, but he could still be a viable player in an offense that embraces quick passes and lets him go to work in the underneath area.

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GRADE: 6.2 (High-Level Developmental Prospect/Round 5)

OVERALL RANK: 166

POSITION RANK: WR24

PRO COMPARISON: Amari Rodgers

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Written by B/R NFL Scout Derrik Klassen