Penn State had their pro day on Thursday, and their forty-yard dash times were what stole the show. Due to the structure of the pro day I could only attend four of the players pressers.
All About the Birds were in attendance of what was an in-demand media meet.
Micah Parsons, Linebacker
Parsons was the star attraction at the pro day and said he had been in contact with all 32 teams in the NFL. Three teams he had highlighted were the Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers and Las Vegas Raiders. All three of those teams are in desperate need of defensive help, and they could be potential landing spots for the linebacker. Parsons is an incredible player and athlete, and his confidence in himself showed. When asked about being a top-five selection, the 21-year-old claimed he was the most versatile player in this upcoming draft. He said he could play all the linebacker spots and rush the passer.
Parsons also showed gratitude towards Penn State. Having opted out for the 2020 season, he was away from the team. Parsons stated he had been preparing for his pro day since September and spoke about how great it was to be back at Penn State. He called the organisation his family and that it was his second home.
Pat Freiermuth, Tight End
Freiermuth is the second-ranked tight end on many people's draft boards, and a team in attendance that caught his eye was the Steelers. He spoke very highly of the organisation, saying it would be an honour for him to play there. Freiermuth had shoulder surgery in November and updated everyone on his progress. He said that his shoulder was feeling good and that he should be ready to go within the next couple of weeks. That is a great sign for a team hoping to draft him. He did individual work during his pro day as a way of showing NFL teams what he could do.
The Penn State tight end also spoke of his leadership and what he would bring to an NFL franchise. He was a team captain for two years in college and said he wanted to bring that into an NFL locker room from day one. He also said he would give 110% every single day. That is the attitude you will want in your organisation, and Freiermuth showing that is a huge plus for him. Freiermuth is the second big-name tight end from Penn State to go into the NFL Draft over the last four years. He believes that the Nittany Lions can become the next big tight end school. I also had the privilege of asking Freiermuth a question regarding his memories at Penn State.
Shaka Toney, Defensive End
Toney's a Philadelphia native, and after coming off two impressive years, he is now entering the NFL. The main point of his media meet was his incredible charity work. Toney raised over $4000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia with his bench-press performance. He discussed how he wanted to make a difference in helping charities before he got into the NFL. That is the sign of a great person and someone an NFL franchise would want.
A potential landing spot for Toney is the New York Giants. One of his former coaches in Sean Spencer is there, and Toney had great things to say about him. The Penn State defensive end said that Spencer was like a father to him and had a major impact on his life. Toney also spoke about his interview experiences and how well they have all gone. He has spoken to teams about playing in both a 4-3 and 3-4 defense, showing flexibility.
Jayson Oweh, Defensive End
Oweh's pro day started with an incredible 40-yard dash time of 4.36 seconds. Oweh said that his 2020 was a weird one. Despite his on-field production decreasing, he felt that his skill set had improved. Oweh is projected to go in the second round of some mock drafts, and his forty time certainly improved his draft stock.
Oweh gave some interesting insight into his career as he started playing the sport in his junior year of high school, and now being on the doorstep of the NFL is a blessing to him. He is still a player that will possibly have to sit before he starts in the NFL. After only 20 career games as a defensive end at Penn State, it is clear that Oweh is a raw talent that just needs to iron out the technical side of the game.