Penn State OT Cedar Wallace (73) - Mikey DeAngelis/Onward State
It’s time for the former Penn State players to pursue their NFL dreams. One step to achieving those goals is by participating in the East-West Shrine Bowl. The game will take place this Thursday, February 1st. Here is a look at the now former Penn State players participating.
Former Penn State Players
Four players accepted invites to this year’s East-West Shrine Bowl. These players will get their chance to improve their draft stock and work with athletes across various colleges. Two players will represent the East while two will represent the West. Here is a look at the former Penn State players, in no particular order.
Hunter Nourzad – OL – East
First up is offensive lineman, Hunter Nourzad. More specifically, Nourzad is a center, though he has been known to play in other positions. From 2018 until 2021, Nourzad spent his time playing at Cornell. He was a right tackle there, and started in 20 straight games, according to Penn State athletics. He transferred to Penn State ahead of the 2022 season. This was when he switched to playing center. One thing for teams to watch for is this switch of position. This will give more teams a reason to look at him if they need help with their offensive line.
Caedan Wallace – OL – East
There will be two Penn State players on the offensive line this Thursday. Caedan Wallace has accepted his invitation to play this week. Wallace plays at the right tackle position for most of the 2023 season but does have experience playing at center and right guard. He has had to deal with injuries here and there, but when he is on the field, Wallace is a solid player. After being with the Nittany Lions since 2019, Wallace will get another shot at showing teams why he deserves a place in the NFL.
Curtis Jacobs – LB – West
Probably the most notable position that Penn State breeds is the linebacker position. Curtis Jacobs is another one coming out of the university and into the NFL. Jacobs’ first season at Penn State was in 2020 where he played in eight games as a true freshman. In his four years, Jacobs had 171 total tackles, 105 solo, and 24 tackles for loss, according to Sports Reference. He also had 9.5 sacks, four coming from the 2022 season. As for turnovers, he had two interceptions, one in 2022 resulting in a touchdown. He also had one forced fumble and four fumble recoveries.
Daequan Hardy – CB – West
Cornerback Daequan Hardy has been with the Penn State Nittany Lions since his true freshman year in 2019. Admittedly, 2023 was his biggest year due to his ability to return punts, especially for two touchdowns this year. Aside from that, Hardy had 19 passes defended, five interceptions, and one for a touchdown, according to Sports Reference. He also had 40 solo tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks. Hardy will be an interesting player to watch for. He will get to showcase his abilities playing cornerback, but teams know he is a true threat returning punts.
Be sure to watch for these Penn State players in this week’s East-West Shrine Bowl. The two offensive linemen will be on the East team, while the two defensive players will be on the West. It is time for these four players to show teams why they deserve a spot in the NFL.
For the Maryland players participating, click here.
For the Iowa Hawkeyes players participating, click here.
