Athletics

Robinson, Jones, Urschel selected in NFL Draft

The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Allen Robinson with the overall 61st pick on May 9. Credit: Patrick Mansell / Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Three Penn State Nittany Lions were selected in the 2014 National Football League Draft.

The Jacksonville Jaguars selected first-team All-America wide receiver Allen Robinson (Southfield, Mich.) with the overall 61st pick on May 9 in the second round, the Tennessee Titans selected defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (Johnson City, N.Y.) with the overall 112th pick May 10 in the fourth round and the Baltimore Ravens tabbed guard John Urschel (Williamsville, N.Y.) with the overall 175th pick May 10 in the fifth round.

Penn State has had at least three NFL Draft picks 16 times since starting Big Ten Conference competition in 1993. A total of 335 Nittany Lions have been selected all-time in the NFL Draft, including 36 in the first round. The Nittany Lions’ three 2014 NFL Draft choices were tied for third in the Big Ten.

The 2012 and ’13 Big Ten Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year, Robinson joins former Penn State standouts Paul Posluszny, a 2013 Pro Bowl selection, Matt Stankiewitch and Nate Stupar on the Jaguars’ roster. Robinson is the second Nittany Lion selected all-time by Jacksonville. Safety James Boyd was selected by Jaguars in the third round in the 2001 NFL Draft.

A 2014 NFL Scouting Combine participant, Robinson earned seven All-America honors after a standout 2013 season. The junior was selected a first-team All-American by CBSSports.com, Sporting News and Phil Steele's College Football, a second-team honoree by the FWAA, SI.com and Athlon Sports and a third-team All-American by the Associated Press.

The former Orchard Lake (Mich.) St. Mary's prep standout led the Big Ten with Penn State season records in receptions (97) and receiving yardage (1,432) for the second consecutive year. Robinson ranked No. 3 nationally in receiving yardage (119.3 yards per game) and No. 9 in receptions (8.1 average). He had six touchdown catches in 2013 (17 career) and a long catch of 65 yards, which resulted in a touchdown at Ohio State.

Robinson ranks second in Penn State career receptions (177) and third in career receiving yardage (2,474 yards), with numbers earned almost entirely the past two seasons (3 catches for 29 yards in 2011). His eight 100-yard receiving games last season were a Penn State season record and he made 13 catches of 35 or more yards in 2013, including four touchdowns of 45 yards or longer.

With Jones’ selection, 11 Penn State defensive linemen have been NFL Draft choices since 2003, including five in the first round. In five of the past six years, a Nittany Lion defensive lineman has been selected in the first four rounds of the NFL Draft.

A 2014 Senior Bowl and NFL Combine participant, Jones is the fourth Nittany Lion selected all-time by the Titans, who moved from Houston in 1997. Cornerback Rich Gardner and tight end Sean McHugh were selected by the Titans in 2004 and safety Calvin Lowry was drafted by Tennessee in 2006.

Jones led Penn State with 11.5 tackles for loss (minus-42 yards) and was earned the team’s 2013 Outstanding Senior Player award. The former Johnson City Senior High School standout ranked fifth on the squad with 56 tackles (33 solo), recorded three sacks (minus-21) and had a fumble recovery. A starter in 23 games over the past two seasons, Jones led all Big Ten defensive tackles in stops during the 2013 season.

Jones recorded a career-high nine tackles three times during the 2013 season – wins over Michigan, Syracuse and Eastern Michigan. Had made 3.0 TFL and a sack in the season opening win over Syracuse in MetLife Stadium.

With Urschel’s selection, five Penn State offensive linemen have been NFL Draft choices since 2009.

A 2014 East-West Shrine Game and NFL Combine participant, Urschel started all 24 games the past two seasons and was selected first-team All-Big Ten by the coaches for the second consecutive season. The former Canisius High School product joined Jeff Hartings (1993-95) and Stefen Wisniewski (2009-10) as the only Nittany Lion offensive linemen to earn multiple first-team All-Big Ten accolades.

A 2013 Associated Press third-team All-American, Urschel was instrumental in helping true freshman quarterback Christian Hackenberg break 11 school freshman passing and total offense records and Zach Zwinak and Bill Belton combine to rush for 1,792 yards last season.

Urschel graduated with undergraduate and master's degrees in math with a 4.0 grade-point average.
 A two-time Capital One/CoSIDA first-team Academic All-American, Urschel became the first Penn State player to earn the National Football Foundation's prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy, regarded as college football's academic Heisman Trophy, and claimed the Senior CLASS Award for college football. In April, Urschel was named the recipient of the prestigious AAU Sullivan Award, presented to the nation’s top amateur athlete.

There were 26 former Nittany Lions with NFL teams at the end of the 2013 regular season, placing Penn State in the top 15 nationally among schools in producing current NFL players.

Super Bowl XLVIII marked the 43rd time in the NFL Championship contest’s 48-game history that at least one Penn State alumnus was a member of one of the participating teams. Former Penn State standouts Jordan Hill and Michael Robinson helped capped off a dominant playoff run for Seattle with a victory in Super Bowl XLVIII when the Seahawks defeated the Denver Broncos.
 Thirty-seven former Nittany Lions have earned a total of 54 Super Bowl rings.

Penn State returns 41 letter-winners and 15 starters (seven offense, seven defense, one specialist) for the upcoming season and will play a trio of 2013 Top 10 teams this fall. The Nittany Lions will host Rose Bowl Champion Michigan State (Nov. 29), Ohio State (Oct. 25, 8 p.m.), Northwestern (Sept. 27-Homecoming) and Maryland (Nov. 1) during its 2014 Big Ten home schedule. Penn State will host Akron (Sept. 6), UMass (Sept. 20) and Temple (Nov. 15) during its non-conference slate. The Nittany Lions open the season Aug. 30 vs. UCF in the Croke Park Classic in Dublin, Ireland.

Penn State Football is on Twitter (@PennStateFball) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/PSUFball).

Last Updated May 12, 2014

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