Penn State Football: Talented trio could dominate NFL

Penn State football’s three offensive stars from the breakout, Big Ten Championship-winning, 2016 season are set to take over in the NFL.

In December of 2016, the college football world got to see a comeback for the ages courtesy Penn State football. Offensively, the Nittany Lions found another gear, using their high-flying playmakers outside and versatile, game breaking running back to go on a 31-3 run, beating the Wisconsin Badgers for the Big Ten Title, 38-31.

That game and then the Rose Bowl just one month later showcased what running back Saquon Barkley, wide receiver Chris Godwin and tight end Mike Gesicki could do. They had done that all season, but their performances went into the mainstream. The trio accounted for 3,559 total yards and 38 total touchdowns that season. They helped change the direction of the Nittany Lions and they never looked back.

Now, all three are in the league and have the potential to take it over. Barkley already put up monster numbers and highlights in his first year with the New York Giants. He accounted for a league-leading 2,028 scrimmage yards and 15 total touchdowns with zero fumbles to earn the Pepsi Rookie of the Year Award.

Godwin finished up a solid second year in Tampa Bay. He ended up second on the team in receiving yards. Godwin snared 59 receptions for 842 yards and seven touchdowns. His height and strength makes him another physical wide out across from Mike Evans. The jump-ball king, as I call him, did a fantastic job of getting open and creating a target for the quarterback to throw to.

Those two have already proven that they can play at the NFL level, spreading the pro footprint of Penn State.

The last guy, Miami Dolphins’ tight end Gesicki went through an up-and-down rookie season. He didn’t put up the production that many expected (22 catches on 32 targets for 202 yards) but the franchise is also going through some changes after a wild, injury-plagued year. Miami is moving on from quarterback Ryan Tannehill, giving Gesicki a fresh start. Despite a slow start to his career, his 6-foot-6 height and 41.5-inch vertical mean he’ll see an increase in targets. New starting QBs need big targets to get the ball to, and he’ll fit in as one.

All three players showed up in big games in college and have the tools to bust out at the next level.