UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State football defensive end Arnold Ebiketie (2nd round, 38th overall to Atlanta Falcons) and safety Jaquan Brisker (2nd round, 48th overall to Chicago Bears) were selected in the second round of the NFL Draft on Friday night.
Penn State's 2022 NFL Draft Picks
- 1st Round, 16th Overall, Washington Commanders: Jahan Dotson, WR
- 2nd Round, 38th Overall, Atlanta Falcons: Arnold Ebiketie, DE
- 2nd Round, 48th Overall, Chicago Bears: Jaquan Brisker, S
With the selections of Dotson, Ebiketie and Brisker, Penn State has had three-plus players drafted in the first two rounds of back-to-back drafts for just the second time in school history, the last time being 1995-96. Penn State had three first rounders in 1995 (Ki-Jana Carter, Kerry Collins and Kyle Brady), and two first rounders and second rounder in 1996 (Jeff Hartings, Andre Johnson and Bobby Engram).
A total of 370 Nittany Lions have been selected all-time in the NFL Draft, which ranks seventh among Division I institutions. Penn State has had 53 draft picks since 2010. A total of 35 Nittany Lions have been drafted since head coach James Franklin's arrival to the program.
Arnold Ebiketie
Overall, the Nittany Lions have had 22 defensive ends selected in the NFL Draft and Ebiketie is the fifth in the James Franklin era. Penn State has seen a defensive lineman drafted in the top two rounds in three consecutive drafts (Yetur Gross-Matos, 2nd round, 38th overall to Carolina in 2020; Odafe Oweh, 1st round, 31st overall to Baltimore in 2021), joining Alabama as the only two schools to have done so during the time frame.
Ebiketie becomes the sixth PSU player selected by the Falcons. He is the first Penn State player to be drafted by the Falcons since Bryan Scott (2nd round, 55th overall in 2003).
"We are extremely happy for AK to have earned this opportunity with the Atlanta Falcons," said Penn State head coach James Franklin. "When people talk about player development, AK is one of the first guys that comes to my mind. He arrived in Happy Valley as a talented player with collegiate experience; however, his willingness to buy into our system and culture really allowed him to take his game to the next level. AK has an infectious personality and embodies our program's core values. He always has a huge smile on his face and his positive attitude impacts our locker room on a daily basis. AK earned the respect of the staff and his teammates quickly through his maturity level and work ethic, which is something I expect will translate well at the next level. I am very excited to watch AK's continued success for years to come with the Falcons."
"Arnold is a super talented player," said Penn State defensive line coach John Scott Jr. "He is one of the most dominant pass rushers that I've coached in my career. Arnold has elite athleticism, lateral movement and quickness. He can rush the passer, he's a smart rusher, he can hold his own in the run game and it was fun watching him get better and better every week at Penn State. His attitude and personality will be infectious in the Falcons' locker room. You love being around him, he comes to work, he's the same guy every day and he's a very consistent player."
Arnold Ebiketie, DE, 6-3, 256, Silver Spring, Md./Albert Einstein
- Earned 2021 second-team All-America honors from the FWAA.
- Accepted an invitation to play in the Reese's Senior Bowl.
- Named a 2021 first-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media.
- Was a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award.
- Made 13 starts in 2021, tallying 62 tackles (34 solo) with 9.5 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, seven quarterback hurries and two blocked kicks.
- Finished second in the Big Ten in tackles for loss (17.0; T-15th nationally) and third in sacks (9.5; T-22nd).
- Was second among Power Five defensive linemen in tackles for loss.
- Named the coaching staff's Defensive Player of the Week twice (Wisconsin - 9/4, Indiana - 10/2).
Jaquan Brisker
Overall, the Nittany Lions have had 32 defensive backs selected in the NFL Draft and Brisker is the eighth in the James Franklin era. Brisker becomes the ninth PSU player selected by the Bears. He is the first Penn State player to be drafted by the Bears since Adrian Amos (5th round, 142nd overall in 2015).
"The Chicago Bears just drafted a tremendous athlete and leader in Jaquan Brisker, who will make an immediate impact on their organization," said Penn State head coach James Franklin. "He is a ball hawk who puts himself in position to consistently make big plays through his preparation, toughness, and the physical nature he brings to the secondary. Graduating from Penn State was also very important to Jaquan, and I couldn't be prouder of him for completing his degree in communication arts and sciences. I am happy for all he has accomplished since joining our program and I know his NFL future is very bright."
"I couldn't be happier for Jaquan getting this opportunity with the Chicago Bears," said Penn State co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach Anthony Poindexter. "Jaquan is a great athlete with great vision and toughness. His game will really translate to the next level because of all the physical athletic traits he has. The Bears are getting a guy who loves the game, studies the game and is a heck of a football player. They are also getting a heck of a person in Jaquan, as he is just a really good kid who is very respectful and works hard. Jaquan has always wanted to get it done for his team and his teammates, which is awesome to see as a coach. I am excited to see all these positive traits Jaquan possess translate to Sundays in the NFL."
Jaquan Brisker, S, 6-1, 200, Pittsburgh, Pa./Gateway/Lackawanna Community College
- Played in 34 career games at Penn State, making 21 starts.
- Recorded 153 career tackles (86 solo), 9.5 tackles for loss, 5 interceptions, 14 pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
- In 2021, became the third Penn State defensive back since 2000 to record at least 5.5 tackles for loss in a season.
- Started 12 games in 2021 and was voted a team captain.
- Tallied 64 tackles (38 solo), 5.5. tackles for loss, two interceptions, five pass breakups, and a fumble recovery in 2021.
- Posted at least a half tackle for loss in eight of 12 games.
- Tabbed a second-team All-American by the AFCA, Associated Press, FWAA and Sporting News.
- Selected by coaches and media as a first team All-Big Ten honoree.
- Named a semifinalist for the Bednarik and Jim Thorpe Awards.
A total of 38 lettermen are returning for Penn State in 2022. The Nittany Lions return 12 starters – six on offense, five on defense and one on special teams. PSU will face nine teams who participated in a bowl game during the 2021 campaign.
For more information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and reserving new season tickets for the 2022 Penn State Football season presented by PSECU, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.PSUnrivaled.com, call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
More than 3,400 new season tickets have already been sold for the 2022 campaign.