On Friday, a massive NFL Draft trade took place. The Chicago Bears — who previously boasted the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft — sent the top 2023 draft pick to the quarterback-hungry Carolina Panthers. The Panthers are in need of a new franchise QB heading into the 2023 season and could be eying a former Penn State quarterback.

Major draft shakeup 🚨 🚨 🚨

Sources say the #Bears are trading the No. 1 overall pick to the #Panthers in exchange for big-time compensation including multiple 1st rounders. Chicago loads up and lands at No. 9, while Carolina can draft its QB of the future. pic.twitter.com/DNvYMStoxd

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 10, 2023

Panthers could be targeting former Penn State quarterback

When it comes to former Penn State quarterback Will Levis, the punchline around State College remains the same: why would an NFL team want a guy that was beaten by Sean Clifford for the starting job twice? Well, it’s not as simple as who James Franklin would have picked.

What head coach James Franklin saw in former Penn State quarterback Will Levis was the mediocre QB that led the Kentucky Wildcats to a 7-6 season while throwing for 2,406 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in 2022. On the contrary, what NFL scouts see with Will Levis is his massive 6-3, 232-pound frame and incredible arm strength/talent. Any solid scout will look at Levis and see potential, not the college product.

Since the Panthers need a QB — and Will Levis is a current betting favorite to go No. 1 this year — we could see the former Penn State quarterback end up with Carolina on day one of this year’s draft.

James Franklin still made the right call with Levis

Even if former Penn State quarterback Will Levis goes No. 1 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, Nittany Lion head coach James Franklin still made the right call with Clifford and Levis. Why? Simple: Clifford was the better quarterback in college.

Levis had a robust frame and solid arm, but as we saw a season ago, that arm was inconsistent, and his decision-making was not up to par. The Clifford vs. Levis debate was settled a year ago — The Kentucky Wildcats fell to 7-6 behind a subpar Will Levis; meanwhile, the Penn State Nittany Lions were lifted to an 11-2 finish with a Rose Bowl win all said and done. Levis will likely have a better professional career than Clifford, but Sean Clifford was the better college quarterback.

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WASHINGTON D.C. — On Thursday, the Washington Commanders (NFL) hired Penn State legend Bobby Engram as their new wide receivers coach. Engram, who played for the Nittany Lions from 1991-1995, compiled over 3,000 yards and 33 touchdowns during his time in State College on Joe Paterno’s roster. Engram was a part of Penn State’s Fiesta Bowl-winning team in 1991 and the Nittany Lions’ incredible 12-0 team in 1994.

Despite some incredible wide outs coming through State College over the years, Engram remains the only Penn State receiver with more than 3,000 career receiving yards.

Engram finished his college career with four bowl wins, a Big Ten title, and numerous top-5 finishes. Now, as a receivers coach at the game’s highest level, Engram will look to assist another Penn State legend to greatness. Jahan Dotson — who spent four years at Penn State from 2018 through 2021 — is a rising standout receiver on the Commanders’ roster, and could quickly develop into one of the league’s best under Engram’s direction.

Penn State legend Bobby Engram hired as WR coach in Washington

On Thursday, the Washington Commanders hired Penn State’s leader in career receiving yards and touchdowns, Bobby Engram, as their new wide receivers coach. This is a massive move for Engram and the Commanders, though will also have a large impact on former Nittany Lion Jahan Dotson, who was also an incredible wide out during his time in the Blue and White.

Dotson was Penn State’s top pass-catcher in 2020 and 2021, and despite the Nittany Lions having two down years, Dotson managed to become a first round NFL Draft pick. Now, the sky appears to be the limit for Dotson at the next level.

So far during Engram’s career, he has coached tight ends with John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens before jumping back to college ball, where he served as the offensive coordinator for the Wisconsin Badgers during the 2022 season. Seeing as the Badgers just had a regime change, Penn State legend Bobby Engram was on the market, and was picked up by the Commanders — Washington can use some offensive help, so the move is good for everyone involved.

Who better to coach a Penn State football legend (Jahan Dotson) than another Penn State legend (Bobby Engram)? We will find out, but chances are, this duo is about to be dangerous.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics.

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Combine week has come and gone, which means draft season is in full swing. After a strong 2022 campaign and a massive Rose Bowl win, seven Nittany Lions were invited to participate in this year’s NFL Combine. Let’s take a look at how each Penn Stater fared over the last week. 

PJ Mustipher, defensive tackle

• Height – 6’4”
• Weight – 320 lbs.
• Arm – 32 ¼” 
• Hand – 9” 
• 40-yd Dash – 5.41 sec. (1.88 10-yd split) 
• Vertical Jump – 27.5”
• Broad Jump – 8’0”
• 3-Cone – 8.01 sec.
• 20-yd Shuttle – 5.03 sec.
• Bench – 19 reps

Musipher’s measurements were all above the average when put against the other defensive linemen participating; however, he ranked in the lower percentile when it came to the on-field NFL Combine tests. His 40 time ranked 15th in his group, with his 10-yard split ranking 14th. He ranked 9th in his 20-yd shuttle time. 

Joey Porter Jr., cornerback

• Height – 6’2 ½”
• Weight – 193 lbs.
• Arm – 34”
• Hand – 10”
• 40-yd Dash – 4.46 sec. (1.5 10-yd split) 
• Vertical Jump – 35”
• Broad Jump – 10’9”
• Bench – 17 reps

Many analysts project that Penn State standout corner Joey Porter Jr. will be one of the first corners off the board, with most projections having him going in the mid-first round. Though his projections are high, some would’ve expected him to perform better in the on-field tests. His vertical ranked 18th among corners, while his broad jump ranked 12th. Despite this, he is still ranked as one of the top prospects, coming in with the 9th best prospect grade of 81. 

Ji’Ayir Brown, safety

• Height – 5’11”
• Weight – 203 lbs.
• Arm – 31 ¼”
• Hand – 10 ⅛”
• 40-yd Dash – 4.65 sec. (1.56 10-yd split) 
• Vertical Jump – 32.5”
• Broad Jump – 9’11”
• Bench – 18 reps

Brown performed really well in the on-field tests during the NFL Combine, ranking highly in many categories. His bench ranked 7th among safeties and his 10-yard split ranked 12th. His Next Gen Stats production score of 89 is the highest amongst all safeties, and his prospect grade has him ranked 2nd. 

Parker Washington, wide receiver

• Height – 5’10”
• Weight – 204 lbs.
• Arm – 29”
• Hand – 10 ⅛”
• Bench – 16 reps

Washington did not participate in any of the on-field drills during combine week, as he is still working on healing from the injury he sustained towards the end of the 2022 season. He still participated in the bench, ranking 8th among receivers. 

Mitchell Tinsley, wide receiver

• Height – 6’0”
• Weight – 199 lbs. 
• Arm – 32 ⅜”
• Hand – 10”
• 40-yd Dash – 4.60 sec. (1.53 10-yd split) 
• Vertical Jump – 35.5”
• Broad Jump – 10’0”
• 20-yd Shuttle – 4.21 sec. 
• Bench – 14 reps

Tinsley, who transferred to Penn State from Western Kentucky in 2022, had a good showing during the NFL Combine. His 20-yard shuttle ranked 5th among receivers, and his bench ranked 10th. 

Brenton Strange, tight end

• Height – 6’4”
• Weight – 253 lbs.
• Arm – 31 ⅛”
• Hand – 9 ⅝”
• 40-yd Dash – 4.70 sec. (1.57 10-yd split) 
• Vertical Jump – 36”
• Broad Jump – 10’4”
• 3-Cone – 7.25 sec.
• 20-yd Shuttle – 4.46 sec.
• Bench – 23 reps

Strange’s numbers in the on-field drills definitely caught people’s eye. His draft-stock was definitely raised after his 40 time, and a 10-yard split ranked second among tight ends. His 23 reps in the bench was tied for 1st among tight ends, tying with Old Dominion’s Zack Kuntz, who transferred there from Penn State in 2021. 

Juice Scruggs, center

• Height – 6’3”
• Weight – 301 lbs.
• Arm – 33 ¼”
• Hand – 10 ¼”
• 40-yd Dash – 5.22 sec. (1.79 10-yd split) 
• Vertical Jump – 32”
• Broad Jump – 8’6”
• 3-Cone – 7.75 sec.
• 20-yd Shuttle – 4.82 sec. 
• Bench – 29 reps

Scruggs performed well during Sunday’s on-field tests. His numbers were among the average for  offensive linemen. His athleticism definitely caught people’s eye, with his Next Gen Stats athleticism score of 78 ranking 2nd among centers. His vertical ranked 6th among OL. His 29 reps on the bench was tied for fourth among offensive linemen, tying with Michigan’s Olu Oluwatimi and Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr. 

Overall, the Nittany Lions were well-represented and performed well during the NFL Combine. All of Penn State’s draft prospects will have another opportunity to wow teams and scouts at the Penn State Pro Day — the date is still TBA. Other prospects that will get an opportunity to show off their skills at Pro Day, who were not invited to the combine, include kicker Jake Pinegar, defensive end Nick Tarburton, and quarterback Sean Clifford.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics.

For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Managing Editor at cjmangum29@gmail.com. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!