Falcons choose Penn State defensive end Arnold Ebiketie in 2nd round

Jerry Dipaola | Friday, April 29, 2022 7:45 p.m.

Penn State defensive end Arnold Ebiketie (17) sacks Villanova quarterback Daniel Smith, right, during an NCAA college football game in State College, Pa., on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021.

Arnold Ebiketie transferred from Temple to Penn State last year for the purpose of showing the NFL he could handle Power 5 blockers.

The league’s talent evaluators paid attention, and Ebiketie, a defensive end, was chosen Friday night in the second round of the NFL Draft (38th overall) by the Atlanta Falcons.

“He’s strong. He’s athletic, and he has that knack that you cannot teach, you cannot coach, of getting after the quarterback,” ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper said.

Said coach James Franklin in a statement Friday night: “When people talk about player development, AK is one of the first guys that come to mind. He arrived in Happy Valley as a talented player with collegiate experience; however, his willingness to buy into our system and culture really allowed him to take his game to the next level.”

It didn’t take long for Ebiketie, a defensive end, to make an impact in the Big Ten.

In Penn State’s opener against Wisconsin, featuring one of the conference’s best offensive lines, Ebiketie recorded seven solo tackles, two for a loss, and blocked a field goal in Penn State’s 16-10 road victory. On his first snap as a Penn State player, he dropped Wisconsin running back Chez Mellusi for a 4-yard loss.

“I put a lot of work into my craft,” Ebiketie told reporters after the game, “so I had no doubt in my mind I was going to come in and do what I was supposed to do because I’m confident I put the work in.”

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— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) April 29, 2022

Franklin wasn’t surprised.

“Yes, we expected it,” he said after the game. “There’s been a buzz about him since he showed up on campus. He’s an explosive guy. He’s a productive guy.”

Ebiketie, 6-foot-3, 256 pounds, made perhaps the biggest play of the game in the final minute when he pressured Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz into an illegal grounding penalty after the Badgers had driven to the Penn State 25.

Overall last season, Ebiketie recorded a team-leading 18 tackles for a loss — twice as many as Penn State linebacker Brandon Smith, another NFL Draft prospect who was second in that category. He also led the PSU defense with nine sacks and seven quarterback hurries while forcing two fumbles. ve