NFL Draft

[RoverNation05]

Twitter feed is staring to fill up with pictures from Jahan Dotson’s draft night party. I think it’s probably 50/50 the Nazareth product goes in the first round tonight. Would be the third Lehigh Valley first rounder since 2015 (Kevin White, Saquon Barkley) after not having one since 1997 (Jim Drukemmiller from Northampton).

I wish the post archives went back to Dotson’s freshman year, as he’s been one of the few players I’ve been right on being as good as he turned out. One of the most impressively smooth athletes I’ve seen, even as a 9th grader, and from all accounts, a good kid too. Hope to see him land in a good spot today or tomorrow.

 

[RoverNation05]

Went way higher than I expected - 16 to Washington!

I think he’s the first Nazareth player ever drafted, but I’d have to double check that. Also funny that Dotson was at Nazareth juuuuust before this leap the program has made - he was on a bunch of 5-5, 6-4 teams where he was the whole show, and it’s been that base (and the hiring of the best offensive/defensive line coach in the Valley) that helped springboard them to the perennial D11 contender they’ve become.

 

[HSFB99]

Rov - it’s a testament to the talent in the valley. They have never lacked that. I do believe if they didn’t have to go through the D12 rep every year, they’d hold their own against the best of D1, D3, D7 , etc., which is not a “shot” at any of those districts. Instead, I think D11 is slightly underrated state wide due to getting knocked out by SJP every year. If Easton can get their stuff (staff?) together, D11 would be even better.

 

[RoverNation05]

Rov - it’s a testament to the talent in the valley. They have never lacked that. I do believe if they didn’t have to go through the D12 rep every year, they’d hold their own against the best of D1, D3, D7 , etc., which is not a “shot” at any of those districts. Instead, I think D11 is slightly underrated state wide due to getting knocked out by SJP every year. If Easton can get their stuff (staff?) together, D11 would be even better.

I’ve been on the “D11 > D3” argument in 6A for a while. And a lot of years I think our champ is as good as the D1 champ, they’re just not getting to final 4’s because they have to go through SJP, and you have the stupid scheduled the EPC does, which doesn’t allow for non-conference games. But, for instance, I think the 2019 Nazareth team could have played with everybody in the field that year but SJP and PCC. This years Freedom team probably, too.

The other issue with EPC teams is, the league is incredibly balanced. Which means you run into what the PAC12 has at the college level, where it’s very exciting to follow who wins the league, but it’s like crabs in a bucket because everybody can beat everybody else (Easton is underachieving USC in this analogy). All of the NFL kids recently have not played on the best teams in the Valley.

The next man up is Kaden Moore from Freedom, who was a freshman All American last year at guard for Virginia Tech. Now, part of that is that many freshmen don’t start on the offensive line, but the flip side is…many freshmen don’t start on the offensive line. His brother was the best player on this Freedom team and a higher ranked recruit, but Kaden really hit the college level running.

 

[RoverNation05]

Devante Cross just announced he signed an UDFA deal with the Commanders as well. Cross was the quarterback for Parkland’s state finals team in 2015. He just completed his career as a safety at Virginia.

 

[RoverNation05]

Here is the rundown of Pennsylvania draftees

Commanderas, Pick 16: Jahan Dotson, Nazareth (Penn State)
Bears, Pick 48: Jaquan Brisker, Gateway (Penn State)
Chiefs, Pick 54: Skyy Moore, Shady SIde Academy (Western Michigan)
Colts, Pick 239: Rodney Thomas, Pittsburgh Central Catholic (Yale)
Cardinals, Pick 256: Jesse Luketa, Mercyhurst Prep (Penn State)