Penn State Football: Success everywhere in NFL passing games
If there’s a place to get wide receivers or tight ends for the NFL, it’s from the Penn State football program. PSU has its footprint all across the league.
Linebackers is what Penn State football became known for over its program’s history and to a further extent running backs as well. The Nittany Lions’ tough-minded approach on both sides of the ball produced little stars in the passing game over the years – that’s far from the case now.
Since Bill O’Brien took over the program in 2012, and then James Franklin in 2014, the passing game received an even greater emphasis than its prior history. The result was more Nittany Lions in NFL receiving corps. Right now, five players that have been drafted since 2013 see significant time on offenses. Those five are listed below.
Stats Courtesy of Pro-Football Reference
2018 regular season stats for PSU WRs/TEs in the NFL
Chris Godwin: 59 catches, 842 yards, seven touchdowns
Allen Robinson: 55 catches, 754 yards, four touchdowns
Jesse James: 30 catches, 423 yards, two touchdowns
DaeSean Hamilton: 30 catches, 243 yards, two touchdowns
Mike Gesicki: 22 catches, 202 yards
Between the aforementioned three receivers and two tight ends, Penn State boasts a respectable corp of pass-catchers around the league. A common thread amongst all of them, they can make plays. Godwin, Robinson, James and Gesicki use their big, physical bodies to outmuscle or out jump others for the football and rack up 50-50 catches.
Starting with the first few names on the list, Godwin, who busted out for a nice year in Tampa, and Robinson have all the makings of true No. 1 receivers, big bodies, consistent catch radius and production. The two receivers can turn short routes into big gains with one stiff arm or move and are off to the races.
James is the go-to-work tight end for Pittsburgh. He’s always reliable, snaring almost 70-percent of the targets thrown his way. He’s caught 120 passes for 1,189 yards and nine touchdowns over his four years. His career might not make it deep in the annals of history, but it’s more than admirable.
Gesicki didn’t have a good rookie year in Miami, but he showed signs of being a dangerous tight end option that can keep the pressure off the rest of the receiving corp. His height in the red zone is always a threat and should get more utilization in year two.
Wrapping up the group, Hamilton got his opportunity to play late in the year and rewarded the Denver Broncos with 25 catches on 38 targets for 182 yards and two touchdowns over the final four games.
He’s got an “it” factor to his game that makes plays when teams need it most. He doesn’t overwhelm with speed or size, but he finds a way to get open and help out his quarterbacks.
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For a long time Penn State didn’t demand respect in the passing game, but with the change in offensive philosophy the last few years and NFL success, the Nittany Lions will see more players drafted at receiver spots. PSU is “Linebacker U” and “Running Back U,” but it’s starting to make a name in the passing game as well. Receivers are just built different in Happy Valley.