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NFL Outlook: How each Nittany Lion sizes up on his new pro roster

With the NFL Draft over and done, along with the bulk of free agent singings having taken place, Penn State's next batch of athletes are set to try their hands at a professional football career.

Chris Godwin was the only player selected in the draft, four others inked contracts as free agents and there is currently one other who has received an opportunity for an NFL tryout.

So what is the future outlook for the six former Nittany Lions and how do they fit in with their new teams? Let's take a look.


CHRIS GODWIN – TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

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OUTLOOK: Selected in the third round as the only PSU representative to be drafted in 2017, Godwin landed with the Buccaneers where he joins former Nittany Lion Donovan Smith, who starts at left tackle for Tampa Bay. Godwin finds himself in a good position with his new team. Fourth-year receiver Mike Evans is the clearcut No. 1 and they brought in veteran DeSean Jackson to help stretch the field. With the Buccaneers also drafting Alabama tight end OJ Howard in the first round, Godwin should be able to fly under the radar of opposing defenses for at least his first season as he further develops his skill set for the pro game. In order to secure a spot among one of the WR spots alongside Evans and Jackson, an oft-injured veteran, Godwin will have to compete for time against four others who were already on the roster before the draft. Tampa Bay also signed two WRs as undrafted free agents, but Godwin's ability to be a possession receiver and the 4.4 40-yard speed he flashed at the combine will make it tough for TB coaches to keep him off the field. Add in his ability to block in the run game – something the scouting staff most certainly did not overlook – and Godwin could carve himself out a nice niche in this offense without being relied on too heavily too early.


BRANDON BELL – CINCINNATI BENGALS

OUTLOOK: Bell joins a Cincinnati team that currently has no other Nittany Lions on the roster. He also joins a defense that is loading up at the linebacker position. The Bengals already had seven LBs and then they picked a couple more in the draft, selecting Carl Lawson of Auburn in the fourth round and Jordan Evans of Oklahoma in the sixth. Along with Bell, they also signed Illinois' Hardy Nickerson as an undrafted free agent. A transfer from California, Nickerson led the Illini in tackles in 2016. Joining a 4-3 defense, there are only so many spots to go around. Therefore Bell has an uphill battle for playing time, as well as for securing a roster spot among a deep unit of LBs in Cincy.


MALIK GOLDEN – SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

OUTLOOK: Picked up by the 49ers as an undrafted free agent, Golden joins linebacker NaVorro Bowman, offensive tackle Garry Gilliam and kicker Robbie Gould as former Nittany Lions on the roster. Before the draft San Francisco had just three safeties on the team and it only drafted one true safety when it picked Adrian Colbert in the seventh round. Colbert, who played cornerback last year at Miami, spent his first three seasons of college ball as a safety for Texas before transferring. In addition to Golden, the 49ers also signed Lorenzo James as an undrafted free agent. Out of St. Francis (Pa.), James was an FCS All-American at safety and a standout in the Senior Bowl. He was expected to be drafted in the late rounds but a slow 40-yard dash in pre-draft workouts might have been what held him out. In order for Golden to work his way into the 53-man lineup, James might be who he has to compete against most. However, that the 49ers only have three returning at his position gives Golden as good of a chance to make a roster in San Fran as anywhere else.


EVAN SCHWAN – NEW YORK GIANTS

OUTLOOK: As the only Penn Stater on the Giants, Schwan joins a 4-3 defense that already had eight defensive ends on its roster before the draft – four of which are still in their first few seasons in the league. Then they added one more in the fifth round, selecting Avery Moss of Youngstown State, an intriguing prospect who possesses length and athleticism but had some question marks surrounding him after his transfer from Nebraska. He's the only other DE in the Giants' rookie class, as just Schwan signed as a DE free agent. Schwan will have to turn some some heads this summer for a chance to crack the 53-man roster. What could also help Schwan's cause is if one or two of the younger returners get let go before their second contract, thus creating another roster opening.


GARRETT SICKELS – INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

OUTLOOK: After forgoing his fifth year and final season of eligibility at Penn State, Sickels is set to the be the only former Nittany Lion on the Colts' roster after being picked up as an undrafted free agent. He joins a defense that is built to run a 3-4 but prides itself on playing multiple fronts. Therefore it's likely Sickels will be listed as an OLB. He played occasionally from a two-point stance at Penn State last year and also with his hand in the dirt from his DE spot, so he has some applicable experience that could help him vie for a roster spot here. The Colts entered the draft with seven OLBs on their roster but they lacked a pure pass rusher. They hoped to address that with their rookie additions. Putting pressure on the quarterback is clearly Sickels' speciality, and with their third-round pick the Colts also added Ohio's Tarell Basham. In 2016 Basham totaled 71 pressures, which ranked as fifth-most in the nation. He was named MAC Defensive Player of the Year. The Colts signed another DE as an undrafted free agent in Jhaustin Thomas of Iowa State, but his size appears more fit to play as a DE in the Colts' scheme. That said, Sickels has a good opportunity ahead of him to make a splash as an edge rusher if he's able to effectively transition his game to the pros.


TYLER YAZIJUAN – DETROIT LIONS (TRYOUT)

OUTLOOK: As of this writing Yazijuan was the only Penn State grad asked to tryout with his respective NFL team before signing a contract. If he's able to make the squad, he'll join former Nittany Lion defensive linemen Anthony Zettel and Jordan Hill, who signed this off-season, on the Lions' roster. But for Yazijuan, who didn't start snapping the football until college, it won't be an easy task. The Lions currently have two long snappers on their current roster. Fourteen-year veteran Don Muhlbach has played in at least 15 games in each of the last 10 years and appears to be a mainstay unless he's nearing retirement at 35 years old. The Lions then used a sixth-round draft pick last year to select Jimmy Landes of Baylor. NFL teams typically do not use more than two roster spots on the snapper position, so if Yazijuan is to find a home with the Lions he'll need to outperform one of the returners.

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