Penn State Football: Arrington Weighs In On Hackenberg And NFL Future

For as long as long as Christian Hackenberg has been connected to Penn State the question has always been the same.

When will he leave?

Would he leave after four years or simply as soon as he was eligible for the draft? Would he leave early because Penn State wasn’t what it could have been or would he leave because his stock was as high as it could get? It’s not a slight on his commitment to the program, it’s simply the byproduct of landing high profile recruits at high profile positions. Money simply isn’t made in college, it’s made in the NFL.

That’s a question that still goes unanswered, although the window is rapidly closing for the ending to change. Ultimately Hackenberg’s eligibility will either run out by the end of next year or he will declare for the draft following the conclusion of the season. There are few variations on this story.

According to former Nittany Lion LaVar Arrington, the clock for Hackenberg’s future at its highest point is ticking down. Be that the result of James Franklin’s system or simply the result of circumstance. Whatever the case the days with Hackenberg sporting the blue and white appear to be limited. 

The tragedy in this, if that word can be used in the context of sports, is that Hackenberg will be remembered for his struggles. He will be remembered for starting his career with expectations at their highest and perhaps finishing it in a haze of so-called game managing and his skills relegated back to “potential” over actual results. Maybe that changes, but the first three games of Penn State’s 2015 season don’t have the telltale signs of greatness.

Undoubtedly, Hackenberg’s career in college will not change his skill set. If he is to be an NFL quarterback that will shine through over any up and down three year career. Once you’re in the NFL the rest is up to you.

But equally true, that as his career at Penn State continues to work towards the final stretch his struggles have overshadowed the fact he is perhaps one of a handful of people who kept the program in any sort of relevant shape. Penn State’s past few seasons have been fairly routine, but if the Nittany Lions succeed under James Franklin or any other coach in the immediate future, Christian Hackenberg will have had a hand in that success.

I asked @LavarArrington about @penn_state QB Christian Hackenberg & if it may be in his best interest to declare… https://t.co/N4GFsOUlvH

— Chris Law (@ChrisLaw) September 26, 2015