5 Best Penn State NFL Players
They call it Linebacker U for a reason, but Penn State's NFL pipeline runs much wider than one position group. These five Nittany Lions are ranked on their college careers in State College, from award sweeps to seasons where one player was clearly the best thing about the team. Beaver Stadium whiteouts have been the backdrop for a lot of these highlights.
1. Saquon Barkley
Running Back · 2015 to 2017
Barkley was the most complete offensive player in the Big Ten for two straight years, winning conference Player of the Year in 2016 and 2017. He ran for more than 3,800 career yards, caught 102 passes, and returned kicks, finishing with 53 total touchdowns. The 2017 season included a 98 yard kickoff return touchdown on the opening play against Iowa and a run against Ohio State where he cut back through the entire defense. He was a top five Heisman finisher and went second overall to the Giants in 2018.
2. LaVar Arrington
Linebacker · 1997 to 1999
Arrington won both the Butkus and Bednarik awards in 1999 and produced the single most famous defensive play in program history, the LaVar Leap, where he jumped the line and tackled an Illinois back in the backfield before the handoff finished. He recorded 20 tackles for loss and nine sacks that season while playing a hybrid role that had no real name yet. He was a unanimous All American who could rush the passer, drop into coverage, and chase down plays from the back side. Washington took him second overall in 2000.
3. Jack Ham
Linebacker · 1968 to 1970
Ham was the prototype for what Linebacker U would become, an All American in 1970 on a Penn State defense that went two full seasons without losing. He was smart, fast, and almost never out of position, which is why he had four interceptions from the linebacker spot as a senior. He arrived on the last available scholarship in his class and left as the best defender in the country. He is in both the College Football and Pro Football Halls of Fame.
4. Ki-Jana Carter
Running Back · 1992 to 1994
Carter ran for 1,539 yards and 23 touchdowns in 1994 at more than 7.8 yards per carry, which led an undefeated Penn State offense many still consider the best in Big Ten history. He finished second in the Heisman voting behind Rashaan Salaam and broke an 83 yard touchdown on the first play of the Rose Bowl. He was a home run threat with real power between the tackles. Cincinnati took him first overall in 1995.
5. Micah Parsons
Linebacker · 2018 to 2019
Parsons only played two seasons before opting out, and he still finished as a consensus All American with 109 tackles as a sophomore. He was the Cotton Bowl Defensive MVP in 2019 and led the team in tackles for loss while occasionally rushing the passer off the edge. His speed at 245 pounds gave offensive coordinators no good answer, because he was too fast for guards and too big for backs. Dallas drafted him 12th overall in 2021 and he was Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Who Just Missed the Cut
Mike Munchak, Franco Harris, Paul Posluszny, Larry Johnson, Sean Lee, NaVorro Bowman, and Chris Godwin all belong in the conversation. Munchak is a Pro Football Hall of Famer and Posluszny won the Bednarik Award twice. The list above weighted national awards, championship context, and how much of the offense or defense each player carried.
Penn State by the Numbers
Penn State has produced more than 30 first round NFL draft picks and has sent linebackers to the league in nearly every decade since the 1960s. Two number one overall picks came out of the backfield, Ki-Jana Carter in 1995 and, in a different era, the program's long line of running backs. The last decade has added defensive ends and receivers to the mix.
Why Linebacker U Still Works
Penn State has historically played a disciplined, gap sound defense that asks linebackers to diagnose plays instead of just running to the ball. That habit shows up immediately at the next level, where mental processing separates rookies who play from rookies who watch. Add the whiteout atmosphere and a Big Ten schedule full of physical run games and the tape scouts see is exactly the tape they want.
Test Yourself on Penn State Players
Reading about them is one thing. Naming them on sight is another. CollegeGuessr shows you an NFL player and asks which college he came from. Build a streak, post your score on the Big Board, and see how your football knowledge holds up.