Thursday was another busy day on the pro day workout circuit, with several prominent colleges hosting NFL teams to check out their potential prospects. One of the big ones was in State College for the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Detroit dispatched defensive assistant Brian Duker to the workout, and he had a lot to investigate. Chief among them is safety Jaquan Brisker, a definite candidate for the team’s selections at No. 32 or No. 34 overall. Brisker did not disappoint in his workout, hitting a 38.5-inch vertical jump and a 124-inch broad jump at just over 6-foot-1 and 206 pounds. We’ve projected Brisker to the Lions a few times in prior mock drafts and the fit makes all the sense in the world for a hard-hitting, playmaking safety.
EDGE Arnold Ebiketie is a transfer from Temple who thrived in his one year in Happy Valley. He had 18 TFLs and also blocked two kicks. The Lions staff knows him well, coaching against him during Senior Bowl week. Ebiketie is generally projected in the 50-75 overall range.
The Lions don’t need a punter, but the Nittany Lions have a fantastic one in Jordan Stout. Linebacker Brandon Smith is another name to know from defense. Detroit met with both in Indianapolis at the NFL scouting combine last month.
On offense, wideout Jahan Dotson gets projected in the 25-35 overall range often, where the Lions happen to have two picks and a need for a playmaking slot receiver. Dotson might be best-in-class at changing speeds to create separation and he’s also a top-shelf return specialist prospect.
For the full list of participants, check out Nittany Lions Wire.