ALTOONA, Pa. -- Guys want to get to the league, and they know Penn State can get them there.
Despite some on-field struggles the past couple of seasons with an 11-11 record, the Nittany Lions' roster has had no shortage of NFL prospects. One thing the program has done exceptionally well during James Franklin's tenure has been to prepare guys physically for the NFL.
That's a result of two things.
First, Penn State has recruited very well, so it always has a lot of good players in the program.
Second, the Lions' strength and conditioning program has been fantastic, earning a reputation of turning really good athletes into elite ones that have the kind of skill sets that NFL teams desire.
Former strength and conditioning coach Dwight Galt deserves all the credit he has received in that regard for helping establish Penn State's reputation for producing workout warriors. Galt retired after last season and was replaced by Chuck Losey, who's been at Penn State since 2014, so there should not be any kind of dropoff in the strength department going forward,
The success of the strength and conditioning program will be on display this week as Penn State will have a large contingent of eight players taking part in the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.
Defensive end Arnold Ebiketie, wide receiver Jahan Dotson and safety Jaquan Brisker all will work out at the combine and are projected to be first- or second-round draft picks.
The five other players at the combine are:
* LB Brandon Smith
* LB Jesse Luketa
* CB Tariq Castro-Fields
* OT Rasheed Walker
* K Jordan Stout
Which Penn State players have a chance to help themselves the most at the combine this week? Well, every player can do things to increase his draft stock, obviously, but here are my three picks for guys who could take a big step forward.
OT RASHEED WALKER
Wow, did his stock plummet this past season. Walker, who plays the all-important left tackle position and has great size (6-6, 325), was considered a potential mid-first round pick prior to the 2021 season. But he did not play well for Penn State, missed the last three games with an injury and is now considered a likely third- or fourth-round pick.
But if Walker can have a big combine, show teams he's healthy and have the right attitude, you just know somebody's going to fall in love with his potential. He has the kind of size that could make him a mainstay at left tackle in the NFL, and don't forget, Donovan Smith struggled a bit his final season at Penn State but has gone on to become an outstanding left tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
I'm not saying Walker will ever be as good as Smith, but his performance at the combine could boost his stock significantly.
CB TARIQ CASTRO-FIELDS
He's considered a fourth-round pick by the folks at NFL Mock Draft Database, and that seems about right. But Castro-Fields was always a good cover corner at Penn State, and if he lights it up during combine workouts, he could help himself in a big way.
Castro-Fields is 6-0, 194 and runs the 40 in the 4.4 range. I just have a feeling he could be one of those Penn State players who works out extremely well and really impresses teams.
What kind of pro can he be? A good one, if he lands with the right team and develops well his first couple of years.
LB JESSE LUKETA
His stock has already jumped substantially, as he was considered a seventh-round pick just a few months ago and has worked his way up to the fourth round in the NFL Mock Draft Database compilation.
Luketa (6-3, 247) is a very versatile guy who played linebacker and on the line at Penn State. That versatility is why his stock has jumped so much, and with a strong showing at the combine, he can only solidify his big move in recent weeks.
One other note on the combine: Linebacker Brandon Smith is a tremendous athlete who will put up outstanding numbers this week. He was always just sort of average on the field at Penn State, but the former five-star recruit really epitomizes the type of workout warrior that NFL teams have come to expect from the Lions.
