Penn State's 2021 NFL Draft Could Be its Best in 18 Years
NFL draft analyst Matt Miller has released his first 2021 mock draft, one that suggests an active event for Penn State. In fact, if Miller is on-target, it would represent Penn State's best top-end draft since 2003.
Miller has five Nittany Lions being selected in the first three rounds, with former linebacker Micah Parsons topping the list at No. 6 overall (to the New York Giants). Parsons is certain to become Penn State's highest-drafted player since Saquon Barkley in 2018. That he might go to the same team is a tantalizing prospect.
Miller's three-round mock includes three second-rounders (tight end Pat Freiermuth, cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields and defensive end Shaka Toney) and a third-rounder in defensive end Jayson Oweh.
Oweh is the most interesting of the predictions. As a redshirt sophomore, he has two years of eligibility remaining but can enter the 2021 NFL draft if he chooses.
Oweh is among the most athletic players on Penn State's roster and appeared in all 13 games last season. His two sack-fumble game against Michigan State is valuable film, but does he have enough to merit such a high draft grade?
Parsons and Oweh have been training together recently. In fact, Parsons posted a video of the two competing in a 20-yard dash. It was a high-end race.
With this level of talent, Penn State's 2021 draft is shaping up to be impressive. The last time Penn State had five players drafted in the first three rounds was 2003, when four went in the first round alone. That year, the Lions had six players selected in the first two rounds, led by defensive lineman Jimmy Kennedy, picked 12th overall by the St. Louis Rams.
Of course, the 2021 draft will be a bigger work-in-progress than most, considering how little film some players have produced. Oweh is a prime example.
Though he played significantly last season, Oweh has started just one game at Penn State. He has played in only 17 career games and was expected to make this his breakout season. Similarly, Castro-Fields and Toney could have used the 2020 season to round their games and showcase more film for scouts.
It's going to be a fascinating process to watch.
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