In a top-ten showdown between two powerhouse teams in the Big Ten, the Pittsburgh Steelers are making the drive out to Happy Valley to see Michigan and Penn State do battle Saturday afternoon.
According to Sam Woloson who reports for The Daily Collegian of Penn State, the Steelers will be one of a handful of teams on-hand to watch the Wolverines and the Nittany Lions.
The Wolverines have a ton of NFL talent including QB J.J., McCarthy and WR Rome Wilson who will draw headlines on the offensive side of the ball. However, one name to watch for Steelers fans on offense is RG #65 Zak Zinter. We mentioned Zinter in our Scouting Notebook series highlighting his game as the 6-6, 322-pound senior is one of the best interior offensive line prospects in the country, having great size and the strength to maul opposing defenders as a run blocker, being strong enough to displace defensive linemen at the line of scrimmage while mobile enough to work in space and pick up blocks at the second level. He also is a sound pass protector, having the hands and feet that match up to provide steady play while anchoring in against the pass rush.
On defense for the Wolverines, watch out for DL #94 Kris Jenkins. The 6-3, 305-pound senior is a stout run defender in the middle of the defense, having the strength to hold gaps as well as the power to collapse the pocket and push blockers back to stuff running backs in the backfield. He’s not the most productive pass rusher, but he displays burst and quickness to be disruptive on the interior. Other names to watch on defense are LB #25 Junior Colson and S #9 Rod Moore who both project to be mid-to-late-round draft picks.
The most notable name to watch for Penn State is LT#74 Olu Fashanu. The 6’6, 319lb redshirt junior flashed in 2022 after starting only one game the previous season, rising quickly up the boards as one of the top draft-eligible tackles. He decided to come back for this season to improve his draft stock, firmly placing himself in the top ten conversation and possibly the first offensive tackle off the board. He has the size and length you look for at the blindside position on the offensive line and has the athleticism and footwork to mirror pass rushers in pass protection. He sets the depth of the pocket well and has quick feet to cut rushers off their path.
Another talented prospect that Steelers fans should keep an eye on is CB #4 Kalen King. King played opposite current Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. last season and played exceptionally well, recording three interceptions and 15 pass breakups. King is a sticky coverage defender who is smaller than Porter (5-11, 191 pounds), but he moves well in coverage, having the movement skills to quickly change directions and blanket opposing wideouts. Pittsburgh could opt to have an all-Penn State outside cornerback starting lineup with Porter and King with King likely costing a first or second-round pick.
The Nittany Lions have several other notable names to watch including EDGEs Chop Robinson and Adisa Issac who both have great size and length on the edge as prototypical NFL pass rushers. They also have LB Curtis Jacobs who profiles to be a middle-round pick, possessing decent athleticism and the awareness to flow to the football and make plays. A couple of potential late-round prospects to keep an eye on for Penn State include TE Theo Johnson as well as OL Caeden Wallace.
