Jahan Dotson is Ready for His Moment at the NFL Combine

A 2019 loss to Minnesota still fuels the former Penn State receiver to get stronger and run faster.

Jahan Dotson arrived at the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine ready to answer questions about his size and ready to run. He tackled the first Wednesday during his media session in Indianapolis. Dotson is prepared for the latter Thursday, when he will perform on-field drills at Lucas Oil Stadium.

"I want to be one of the best to play the game," Dotson told reporters during his interview from Podium 1 in the first player-interview session of the Combine. "That's one of the reasons why I do this, just to be the best. I'm a huge competitor. And I love winning. So I just want to be the best."

Penn State fans haven't seen Dotson since the Nov. 27 finale at Michigan State, where the receiver capped his college career with eight receptions for 137 yards and two touchdowns. Since then, Dotson, who did not play in the Outback Bowl or the Senior Bowl, has been training at Exos in Phoenix to prepare for the Combine.

Having run a 4.33 40-yard dash at Penn State, Dotson seeks to go even lower Thursday in Indianapolis.

"Definitely my speed," Dotson said when asked about where he has improved. "It's something I've been working on for about two years now. Really focusing on running a fast 40 and just being a well-rounded football player, really running great routes, getting and out of cuts.

"... So back at Penn State, just getting bigger, getting more explosive in the weight room. [It's a] testament to our strength staff. [Former Penn State strength coach] Dwight Galt is one of the best at what he does. And I'm coming from Phoenix Exos. It's a testament to coach Nic Hill and coach Jonathan Barlow. Those guys have prepared me for this moment, and I'm ready for it."

During his interview session, Dotson confronted the size question, discussed teams with which he has interviewed, his breakthrough game vs. Ohio State in 2020 and why a loss to Minnesota still fuels him.

Jahan Dotson takes questions about his size

Matthew O'Haren/USA Today Sports

One of the first questions Dotson received Wednesday concerned his size (5-10.5, 175 pounds). That didn't prevent Dotson from finishing second on Penn State's all-time receptions list (183) and fourth in yardage (2,757).

Dotson confronted the question squarely, just as he does defensive backs.

"Size obviously is not a big factor to me," he said. "Just because it was something I was born with, God-given. God has led me to be able to play at a high level. I'm not really focused on just my size. Obviously getting bigger in the weight room is always something I'm trying to do, but just excelling in my football skills, learning from vets and, like I said, making my game work."

Dotson embraces busy Combine interview schedule

Nick Fierro/Bills Central

Dotson said he has met with a number of teams so far this week, including the Bills, Dolphins, Titans, Browns and Jets. He was asked about two markets in particular: Buffalo and New York.

On Buffalo: "It's very cold there. Stefon Diggs is someone I truly look up to. [He's] one of the great receivers in the league right now. Very young, talented quarterback. It would be a great opportunity."

On Bills QB Josh Allen: "He's one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL right now, and I would be extremely excited for the moment."

On being able to handle the New York market, Dotson referenced his friendship with Giants running back Saquon Barkley. The two went to high school about 20 miles apart in Pennsylvania: "Yeah for sure, especially with Saquon Barkley being a guy that I really look up to, from my area. Talking to him a bunch, getting a few pointers from him."

What Dotson learned from the 2020 Ohio State game

Matthew O'Haren/USA Today Sports

Dotson became a Big Ten household name after his prolific game against Ohio State in 2020. He caught eight passes for 144 yards and three touchdowns, generating some of his most acrobatic work at Penn State.

And yet, Dotson hasn't made that game a personal milestone.

"It didn't really tell me anything about myself, just because I know the type of player that I am," he said. "But it kind of opened a lot of eyes around the world. And it was basically a coming-out game for me. But I knew the capability I had way before that game. So that really wasn't a shock to me."

The 2019 Minnesota game still fuels Dotson

Jesse Johnson/USA Today Sports

Late in Penn State's game at Minnesota in 2019, two Gophers defenders prevented Dotson from scoring what would have become the go-ahead touchdown. The fourth-ranked Lions fell 31-26, a loss that prompted Dotson to address his breakaway speed during the offseason.

Dotson still thinks about that game.

"Yeah, so 2019," Dotson said. "I had an opportunity to win the game vs. Minnesota. Honestly, that probably would have put us in the College Football Playoff. But I got caught from behind, and we ended up losing with about a minute left in the game. And I still look at that day, that game to this day. [Former teammate] KJ [Hamler] always talks about it, telling me that I'm slow and stuff like that. But it honestly just fueled me to get stronger, get faster and just never let that ... ever happen again."

Thanks to Nick Fierro of Bills Central for the interview clips of Dotson from Indianapolis.

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