Saquon Barkley and Jahan Dotson Followed Similar Roads to the Philadelphia Eagles

The Penn State legends, and former high school and NFL rivals, are teammates for the first time.

Former Penn State receiver Jahan Dotson is interviewed on the sideline at the 2023 Blue-White Game at Beaver Stadium. / Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

In October 2014, Penn State football coach James Franklin shuttled a helicopter to Nazareth, Pennsylvania, to watch a high school football game. He was there to see Saquon Barkley, the electrifying senior running back at Whitehall High School who had committed to the Nittany Lions earlier that year. Also taking the field that night was Jahan Dotson, a freshman receiver for Nazareth High School who ultimately would follow Barkley to Penn State.

Ten years later, after competing against each other in high school and the NFL, Barkley and Dotson are teammates for the first time. The Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday traded for Dotson, the former Washington Commanders receiver who will join an offense quickly becoming a Penn State fan favorite.

After signing Barkley to a free-agent deal earlier this year, the Eagles now feature the Nittany Lions' two most prolific offensive players of the last decade. And Barkley and Dotson played high school football and basketball in the same league about 15 miles apart. Considering their career arcs, this is a fitting result.

Barkley and Dotson crossed paths a few times on the field and court in 2014-15, when Barkley was a senior at Whitehall and Dotson was a freshman at Nazareth. That night in October 2014 was particularly memorable. College football coaches rarely swooped into Lehigh Valley high school games via helicopter, so this was an event. Barkley didn't disappoint, rushing for 196 yards and scoring four touchdowns in Whitehall's 52-7 victory.

Franklin also would see Dotson briefly that night, beginning a recruiting relationship that culminated with Dotson committing to the Nittany Lions in 2017. But like Barkley, Dotson didn't choose Penn State first. Barkley, who initially committed to Rutgers, changed his mind in 2014 after Franklin became Penn State's head coach.

Dotson, meanwhile, initially committed to UCLA in September 2017, catching his family off guard. But UCLA fired head coach Jim Mora during that season, prompting Franklin to place a follow-up call to Dotson. Franklin made the pitch local and personal, and Dotson committed to Penn State in late December, just before the Nittany Lions played in the Fiesta Bowl, which was Barkley's last game in college.

"I think in a big way, Saquon Barkley had a big part in that [Dotson's commitment]," Franklin said in 2017. "For a kid in that region [the Lehigh Valley], they're basically five minutes from each other, and for him to see Saquon Barkley come here and thrive in so many areas, it just makes sense."

From Happy Valley to the City of Brotherly Love pic.twitter.com/B4Y93gIXp4

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) August 22, 2024

In a 2018 interview with The Morning Call, Dotson's father Al discussed Barkley's impact on his family. Barkley's family had moved from the Bronx to Whitehall when Saquon was young seeking a new environment. Dotson's family had moved from East Orange, N.J., to Nazareth for similar reasons.

Both Barkley and Dotson learned to play football in Lehigh Valley community leagues, became high school stars and pressed themselves into Penn State's lineup as freshmen. In 2015, Barkley became Penn State's starting running back in October and set the program's single-season rushing record for a freshman (1,076 yards).

In 2018, Dotson became the first Penn State freshman to start at wide receiver in four years. His first five receptions resulted in first downs, and Dotson finished the season with 13 catches. As a junior in 2021, Dotson set Penn State's single-game record for receiving yards (242) and finished the season with 1,182 yards, second in school history.

Barkley ranks first in Penn State history in rushing touchdowns (43) and second in career rushing yards (3,843). Dotson ranks second in Penn State history in both career receptions (183) and single-season receptions (91). At Penn State, Franklin has produced three offensive players who were first-round picks. Barkley was the first in 2018. Dotson was the second in 2022.

Even their NFL careers have followed similar arcs. After six seasons with the New York Giants, Barkley took advantage of free agency for a fresh start, which the Philadelphia Eagles provided. Same with Dotson, who spent two seasons with the Commanders but faced an uncertain third year in 2024. Once again, the Eagles provided another opportunity.

Dotson should fit with the Eagles quickly. Beyond his relationship with Barkley, Dotson has played in new teammate DeVonta Smith's celebrity softball game in Allentown. Meanwhile, Penn State continues to revel in its State College-to-Philadelphia pipeline. The occasion prompted Penn State's graphics department to look ahead.

🤝😆 https://t.co/70KPkyKDKF pic.twitter.com/CsSFvUNbSU

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) August 22, 2024

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Penn State on SI is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on X (or Twitter) @MarkWogenrich.