Penn State Football: Troy Apke making noise in first two weeks
Former Penn State football safety played the tipped drill perfectly, intercepting Sam Darnold. Apke has continued to make plays at the next level.
The highest riser of all Penn State football draft picks showed why he earned a fourth round selection by the Washington Redskins last Sunday. Senior Troy Apke made his first big play of the NFL preseason intercepting fellow rookie and Jets’ quarterback Sam Darnold.
The play came off a tip drill, but Apke was in the right place at the right time. Darnold attempted to hit a short route just outside the left hash. The ball was deflected by a Redskins’ DB, and Apke sprints in to make a sliding pick.
As he did most of his senior year with the Nittany Lions, he made multiple big plays. In his first two weeks, he has racked up nine total tackles, a pass deflection and the aforementioned interception. The deflection nearly was intercepted by Apke. He reached into the passing lane with one hand and almost came down with it.
He continues to turn heads and fight off the one-year wonder tag. After a strong senior season and explosive NFL Combine where he ran a 4.34, 40-yard dash, Apke has lived up to the high expectations put upon him so far.
The team boasts about 40 players in the NFL right now. Obviously, the preseason is far from over. Players will get cut and moved, but Apke is another player in a deep professional football fraternity. So far, he looks like he could make a major impact for the Redskins in his rookie year.
He isn’t the only player from the 2018 NFL Draft class showing out in the preseason. Saquon Barkley rushed four times for 43 yards in the New York Giants’ preseason opener. Jason Cabinda has rolled up 10 total tackles in two games.
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To checkout all of Penn State football’s alumni highlights, click here for week one and here for week two.