Key Penn State defender announces NFL Draft, bowl decision

A key defensive playmaker for Penn State football has made his NFL Draft decision. On Friday night, LB Curtis Jacobs announced his plans to head off to the League. The Penn State defender becomes the third Nittany Lions player to declare for the NFL Draft. In conjunction with his Draft announcement, Jacobs also stated his intention to participate in the Peach Bowl on December 30.

Penn State defender Curtis Jacobs declares for NFL Draft, will play in Peach Bowl

On Friday, Curtis Jacobs announced that his time with the Penn State football program is coming to an end. In a statement posted on social media, the junior LB declared his intention to enter the 2024 NFL Draft.

“Thank you to my Penn State family, coaches, players, and fans,” Jacobs wrote. ” My time here has been very special, and I will never forget it. I have everything I had on the field for my brothers, and I have relationships that will last a lifetime. I am truly thankful for the opportunity and experience.”

Thank You Penn State #WeAre💙 pic.twitter.com/S9IvAdcfZQ

— Curtis Jacobs (@CurtisUpNext23) December 15, 2023

However, the Penn State defender said he still has “unfinished business” and will suit up for the Nittany Lions one final time for the Peach Bowl against Ole Miss later this month.

Curtis Jacobs quietly had one of the most productive seasons of any Penn State defender in 2023. An All-Big Ten honorable mention, Jacobs was third on the team with 47 tackles this season. His eight tackles for loss were also second-most among all Nittany Lions this season.

Perhaps the highlight for Jacobs this fall was the White Out against Iowa. Jacobs recovered two fumbles in the first half, becoming the first Penn State football player to accomplish that feat in a game since 1991.

In total, Jacobs has 169 tackles, including 23 tackles for loss, in his four-year Nittany Lion career. The Penn State defender had an extra year of COVID eligibility to use, but has decided to forgo a final season in Happy Valley for the NFL Draft.

The most underrated player in the nation?

Curtis Jacobs has already been touted as one of the most underrated players in the country from a Draft perspective heading into the 2023 season. His stock was most likely aided by his play on the field this fall.

“That dude is exactly what the linebacker position is becoming,” an anonymous AFC scout said of Jacobs this summer. “He can absolutely fly, and he has produced on three downs…Watching him play in space, I don’t think you’d ever have to take him off the field.”

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