Penn State will be well-represented at senior bowls leading into the NFL draft.
Six Nittany Lion players have accepted invitations to participate in the Panini Senior Bowl — running backs Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton, left tackle Drew Shelton, defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, defensive tackle Zane Durant and safety Zakee Wheatley — while long snapper Tyler Duzansky is headed to the East-West Shrine Bowl.
The Shrine Bowl will take place at 7 p.m. on Jan. 27 at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas. The Senior Bowl is slated to kick off at 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 31 at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. Both showcases will be broadcast on the NFL Network.
Allen rushed 210 times for 1,303 yards (6.2 per carry) and 15 touchdowns this season, breaking the program record for career rushing yards. His counterpart, Singleton, totaled 123 carries for 549 yards and 13 touchdowns, breaking the program record for career touchdowns. Singleton has opted out of the Pinstripe Bowl against Clemson, but Allen hasn’t announced his availability.
Shelton, projected as a mid-to-late-round pick, allowed one sack and 19 pressures on 343 pass protection snaps, per PFF. However, he produced mediocre run blocking performances. As of now, he’s expected to play in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Dennis-Sutton entered the season with first-round buzz, but projections now have him as a Day 2 pick after an underwhelming season. Still, he totaled 38 tackles, 6.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and three pass breakups, adding three blocked punts on special teams.
Durant was the first Nittany Lion to opt out of the postseason, but will participate in the Senior Bowl. He totaled 25 tackles and four sacks this season but was sometimes overpowered in the run game. He’s projected as a mid-to-late round pick.
Wheatley developed into a vocal team leader during his fifth season and backed it up on the field. He finished the regular season with the second-most snaps on the team, gathering 74 tackles and an interception. Wheatley is viewed as a likely Day 2 pick for his elite tackling and ball skills. He also opted out of the Pinstripe Bowl.
Duzansky was viewed as one of the top long snappers in the country this season and was named one of three finalists for the Patrick Mannelly Award, presented annually to the top player at the position.
