The five Penn State players most expected would be selected in the 2020 NFL Draft over the weekend did get their names called.
The ones who didn’t found homes rather quickly, too.
Six Nittany Lions signed undrafted free-agent deals with NFL teams in the hours after the Draft:
- OG Steven Gonzalez, who started 42 games for the Nittany Lions during his career, signed with the Arizona Cardinals.
Proud, excited, and humbled to announce that I have signed with the @AZCardinals I am excited for the next chapter of my life and I am ready to get to work! #RiseUp pic.twitter.com/W0MaTtt1J9
— Steven Gonzalez (@StevenG511) April 25, 2020
- P Blake Gillikin, a four-year starter, signed with the New Orleans Saints.
Thankful to be signing with the @Saints can’t wait to get started in NOLA and take advantage of this opportunity! #WHODAT
— Blake Gillikin (@blakegillikin) April 26, 2020
- TE Nick Bowers, a backup to Pat Freiermuth who emerged as an important offensive weapon in 2019, will be joining the Las Vegas Raiders.
Nick Bowers (@Nbowers28) is keeping that #Aces mentality with the @Raiders! #NFLDraft #MadeInHappyValley pic.twitter.com/8cggJKZGz3
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) April 27, 2020
- SAF Garrett Taylor, a two-year starter and respected veteran, signed on with the Buffalo Bills.
LFG…I got something to prove!!Couldn’t be more excited for this opportunity! Thank you to the @BuffaloBills ! Let’s ride ????#BillsMafia https://t.co/y1WbDmv5DR
— Garrett Taylor (@GTaylor_17) April 26, 2020
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- LB Jan Johnson, a former walk-on, is heading to the NFL after striking a deal with Bill O’Brien and the Houston Texans.
Jan Johnson (@jan_johnson36) is headed to Houston! Congratulations on joining the @HoustonTexans! #NFLDraft #MadeInHappyValley pic.twitter.com/a2p1SE8Kok
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) April 26, 2020
- Another former walk-on, Dan Chisena, is heading to Minnesota on a free-agent deal.
Dan Chisena (@danchisena) is headed to Minnesota! Congratulations on joining the @Vikings!#NFLDraft#MadeInHappyValley pic.twitter.com/Qolq9t999R
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) April 26, 2020
Figured Taylor and Gonzalez would get pretty good shots to make rosters, given their experience with the Nittany Lions.
Gillikin to the Saints is interesting. He’ll reunite with the former Penn State special teams coordinator, Phil Galiano, who is currently a Saints assistant. Gillikin will also compete with an established starter, Thomas Morstead, who signed a five-year deal before the 2018 season.
Bowers and Chisena are going to be worth watching. For my money, Bowers was the third-best Penn State prospect available this year, and a good bet to make the team. Chisena ran a 4.3 40-yard dash and is a special teams terror. If someone can help develop some consistency catching the ball, he can be a productive player on offense, as well.
Donnie Collins has been a member of The Times-Tribune sports staff for nearly 20 years and has been the Penn State football beat writer for Times-Shamrock Newspapers since 2004. The Penn State Football Blog covers Nittany Lions, Big Ten and big-time college football news from Beaver Stadium to the practice field, the bowl game to National Letter of Intent Signing Day. Contact: dcollins@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5368; @DonnieCollinsTT
