The 2022 NFL Draft is coming up. Here’s a look at projections for former Nittany Lions

The draft is just over a week away and Penn State still has four players projected to go in the first two days of the event. Jaquan Brisker, Jahan Dotson, Arnold Ebiketie and Brandon Smith have all been projected to go in the first three rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Let’s take a look at some of the current landing spots and potential fits for the former Nittany Lions.

WR Jahan Dotson

No. 22 to the Green Bay Packers, No. 28 to the Green Bay Packers

Dotson keeps getting mocked to the same places and it feels increasingly likely that he’s the Nittany Lion with the best chance to go in the first round of the draft. These two mocks have him going to the Packers, albeit at different picks, and replacing former Green Bay wide receiver Davante Adams. The pressure could be high on Dotson to succeed early with him stepping in as the likely No. 1 option for future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Even with that pressure, there aren’t many better landing spots for Dotson to produce immediately.

No. 29 to the Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City is the other place Dotson continues to go in mock drafts and for good reason. Like the Packers, they’re replacing one of their best player and one of the best weapons in the NFL in Tyreek Hill. Hill’s downfield ability was a major threat for the Chiefs, and so was his ability to take short passes the distance.

Dotson could help fill that void in both regards and would give star quarterback Patrick Mahomes a weapon he can grow with while they find the same chemistry that made Hill and Mahomes so great.

EDGE Arnold Ebiketie

No. 24 to the Dallas Cowboys

The fit here would be interesting for Ebiketie and another former Nittany Lion. Currently, Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence are set to be the Cowboys’ primary pass rushers next season, an area where Parsons excelled despite being drafted as a linebacker. This pick would either move Parsons back to linebacker — seemingly wasting his elite pass rushing ability — or make Ebiketie a rotational defensive end.

The latter is a fine outcome, it’s just an interesting allocation of a first round pick with two dominant pass rushers already in place in Dallas.

No. 53 to the Green Bay Packers

Green Bay, like it has for Dotson, has become an increasingly popular option for Ebiketie. He would likely be used as a standup edge rusher and a 3-4 outside linebacker with the Packers, replacing some of the expected production of Za’Darius Smith. Smith missed most of last season and the Green Bay pass rush suffered, but Ebiketie would help mitigate that to some extent.

He would have to get used to dropping into coverage more often as an outside linebacker, along with improving against the run. Still, there’s room for immediate production if the Packers take Ebiketie.

S Jaquan Brisker

No. 36 to the New York Giants

Brisker seems more likely to go on the second day of the draft — in the second or third round — than the first round at this point. It’s always possible that a team needs a safety and takes him late in the first, but options open up for him once the first 32 picks are off the clock. The Giants are one of those options that could use some help on the back end.

New York is in for a rebuild with a new general manager and head coach, and new defensive coordinator Wink Martindale likes to have high end safeties in the back end. Brisker could become a mainstay for the Giants defense as it looks to turn the corner on both sides of the ball.

No. 68 to the Houston Texans

The fit with Houston would be obvious. Former safety Justin Reid departed the Texans for the Kansas City Chiefs in free agency and now they’re looking for a replacement. Brisker would step in right away and have a starting role for a team that is in desperate need of leadership. Quarterback Davis Mills should be the team’s leader on offense — at least for the time being — but the defense is lacking in that department.

There were few leaders better than Brisker at Penn State and he should be able to command a room early on in his NFL career, especially on a team that is rebuilding.

OLB Brandon Smith

No. 102 to the Miami Dolphins

Smith is still widely regarded as an off-ball linebacker by most, but his best chance to produce may come if he’s moved to a spot where he can focus on getting after the quarterback. He struggles in space despite his athletic abilities and has difficulties diagnosing run plays at the second level and maintaining his responsibilities in those situations.

The former Nittany Lion has elite flexibility and athleticism, which should allow him to be a high upside project as a pass rusher. It’s just a matter of whether the team that takes him sees that upside.