Penn State OT Ryan Bates Becomes 3rd Nittany Lion to Declare for 2019 NFL Draft

Ryan Bates, Penn State football’s starting right tackle this past season, announced on Wednesday that he will forgo his final year of college eligibility and will enter the 2019 NFL Draft.

Guard Connor McGovern and defensive end Shareef Miller announced earlier in the day that they would be leaving early for the draft.

pic.twitter.com/6Fb5z0GPGo

— Ryan Bates (@52batesryan) January 2, 2019

Bates was a third-team All-Big Ten selection by both the coaches and the media for 2018. He hasn’t received much attention from various draft analysts, as many were unsure whether or not he would stay in Happy Valley for one more year or leave for the NFL.

The tackle was part of an offensive line that transformed from one of the Big Ten’s worst to a solid group during his time in Happy Valley. Bates flipped around from left to right tackle toward the end of the 2018 season, finishing his Penn State career with 37 total appearances.

With Bates and fellow starter McGovern heading to the NFL, Penn State’s offensive line will now replace at least two starters in 2019. Look for Mike Miranda, Des Holmes, Alex Gellerstedt, CJ Thorpe, and the newly signed Anthony Whigan to compete for these openings.