ICYMI: Ex-Penn State football player, SEC RB thanks James Franklin in NFL Draft announcement

There was a point during the 2019 season when Penn State football true freshman running back Noah Cain looked like the next big thing on campus. Outside of Journey Brown bursting onto the scene, Noah Cain was arguably the most consistent running back on the roster that season. He’s the reason the Nittany Lions closed out a road victory against Iowa. But just a few snaps into the 2020 season, Cain suffered a season-ending injury. He stayed at Penn State for one more year before returning home to LSU. Now, Cain has declared for the NFL Draft but made sure to thank James Franklin and Ja’Juan Seider.

Former LSU and Penn State football player thanks James Franklin, Ja’Juan Seider in NFL Draft post

Noah Cain stepped on campus as a four-star recruit and the No. 6 running back in the 2019 recruiting class, according to 247sports. It didn’t take long for him to make an impact on the Penn State football team. But following the 2021 season he entered the transfer portal and has been at LSU ever since. Now, he has declared for the NFL Draft, but he gave thanks to those in Happy Valley.

Cain said, “…Thank you to Coach Franklin and Coach Seider for giving me the opportunity to represent the Blue and White in Beaver Stadium on Saturday nights and become a Penn State graduate. I will forever be grateful to the Penn State football program, fans, and the State College community…”

Let’s get to it… #MevsMe pic.twitter.com/3wqmSZA29F

— Noah Cain (@therealnoahcain) January 8, 2024

What happened to Noah Cain?

As mentioned earlier, Noah Cain appeared to be the next great Penn State running back, but what happened? The injury he suffered in 2020 was significant. Then, in 2021 no Penn State running back had true success running the football.

With Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen joining the team in 2022, it made sense for Cain to search for a new home in 2023. In two seasons with LSU, he rushed for 590 yards and 13 touchdowns, putting the finishing touches on his college career.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation, the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlet. 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 us at basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on our social media. Also, be sure to check out our new site shop. It’s due to your support that we can proudly claim a readership of over 3.5 million in our first year of operation.