Penn State Football: Lions in the league

As NFL Week 11 comes to a close, let’s take a look at how some Penn State football alumni are doing in the league.

Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants

Penn State football certainly misses the production of Saquon Barkley this season.

There are so many good things to be said about Barkley’s performance this year. Given the state of affairs surrounding the Giants franchise, Barkley has become a silent leader and spark plug for an offense that has been mediocre, other than their last two games. Barkley was named the midseason Rookie of The Year by the NFL Live team at ESPN. 

Barkley put on a clinic this past Sunday against Tampa Bay. The Giants’ offensive line decided to show up against a Bucs defense that has been plagued by injuries. We saw a glimpse of what can happen game-in and game-out if Saquon has the right blockers up-front. There is concern that the G-Men may be overusing Barkley, which could lead to an injury. Barkley is currently third in the league with 1,268 all-purpose yards, behind Ezekiel Elliot and Todd Gurley.

The Giants will face the Eagles next, whose defense is currently ranked 12th against the run. Remember what happened last time Saquon faced Philly?

Barkley has been a beast all season, and there doesn’t seem to be any slowing him down.

Allen Robinson, WR, Chicago Bears

Robinson has put together a quiet, but productive season for Chicago. He has 34 receptions, 457 yards and 4 touchdowns in his first year as a Bear. He had a great game against the Lions (6 receptions, 133 yards and 2 touchdowns). It was even sweeter because he’s a Detroit native.

DaeSean Hamilton, WR, Denver Broncos

The fourth round draft pick has made some small plays. Hamilton suffered a knee injury this past Sunday against the Chargers. 

Sean Lee, LB, Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys linebacker and two-time Pro Bowler days may be numbered in the Dallas. Rookie linebacker Leighton Vander Esch has stepped up and solidified his first-round pick status. Another injury has set back Lee and opened the door for Vander Esch to shine. Per Jerry Jones, Lee won’t be starting any time soon.

Mike Gesicki, TE, Miami Dolphins

Gesicki has been quiet this season (17 catches, 151 yards and 0 touchdowns). It can be attributed to a combination of quarterback play and splitting time with other tight ends.

Cameron Wake, DE, Miami Dolphins

The 36-year-old defensive end has had an average season, with 24 combined tackles and 3.5 sacks.

Carl Nassib, DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

The six-foot-seven, 275-pound defensive end has 4.5 sacks on the season. Nassib has two pass deflections on the year as well.

Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Godwin has found a nice fit in Tampa and has been an important piece of the passing attack all season. This past week against the Giants, he was listed as questionable with an ankle injury, but still produced three receptions for 50 yards. On the year, Godwin has 40 receptions for 533 yards and four touchdowns — all career highs for the second-year receiver.

Jesse James, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers 

James is proving his worth on a team that looks like it can make a deep run in the playoffs. Without Le’Veon Bell around, the Steelers offense is taking on a new identity. James has 22 catches for 344 yards and two scores. He’s on pace to pass his career high of 372 receiving yards from last season.

Stay tuned for next week’s edition of Lions In The League. Penn State football faces Maryland this weekend at home.