4/27/2019 football Edit

McSorley picked by Ravens in sixth round

BWI Staff

Rivals

NFL.com had Trace McSorley projected as a priority free agent.

Mel Kiper and ESPN believed otherwise.

Kiper and the ESPN crew were right.

On Saturday afternoon, McSorley was selected in the sixth round by the Baltimore Ravens. He was the 197th overall pick and the fifth Nittany Lion to be drafted this year.

McSorley holds 11 records at Penn State, including most wins (31), passing yards (9,899) and passing touchdowns (77).

Offering his own expectations for McSorley in the NFL during a press conference late in the Nittany Lions' 2018 season, Penn State head coach James Franklin said he believes the quarterback will rise to the challenge as he's always done.

“I think he's going to have to overcome some things early on, but I think as people get a chance to spend some time with him and around him and watch him work out, I think he's just going to continue to do what he's always done. There were doubts in high school, there was doubts in college, doubts in the NFL. It's just going to continue, and I think he's just going to be one of those guys that constantly overcomes some of the false narrative that's out there,” Franklin said. “I've spent time in that league, I've watched guys in that league. I don't think there's any doubt in my mind that he can play at that level and play well.”

A three-time All-Big Ten selection, McSorley led the Nittany Lions to a Big Ten Championship in 2016, followed by a victory in the Fiesta Bowl in 2017. He won 31 games during his time in Happy Valley, while also becoming the program's all-time leading passer with 9,899 yards. Overall, McSorley holds 11 Penn State records and is one of only three players in Big Ten history to total more than 100 touchdowns, joining fellow quarterbacks J.T. Barrett and Drew Brees.

Franklin issued a statement on McSorley following his selection.

“We are thrilled for Trace to hear his name called during the NFL Draft. He will go down as one of the best, if not the best, quarterbacks in Penn State history, not only for his stats, but for his leadership on and off the field," said Franklin.

"He has a terrific football IQ and is a winner in every sense of the word and we know he will bring the same mentality to the Ravens. As a quarterback, he is a fast learner, who executed our offense with extreme precision, and he possesses an uncanny ability to elude rushers in the pocket to make him a dangerous runner. For all of his on-field awards, we are more proud of Trace being an National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete and graduating with his degree in accounting last August.”

Growing up in Ashburn, Va., McSorley attended Briar Woods High School. Despite the fact that he led his school to three straight Virginia AA Division 4 championships, he was only given a three-star rating and was actually listed as an athlete. Multiple analysts believed he was best suited to play defensive back at the Division I level.

However, Franklin and his staff were sold on him as a quarterback from day one. McSorley liked what they had to preach and committed to the staff while they were still at Vanderbilt. He ended up following them to Penn State following the hiring of Franklin.

McSorley joins RB Miles Sanders, OL Connor McGovern, DE Shareef Miller and CB Amani Oruwariye as the five former Nittany Lions drafted. Sanders, who was picked 53rd overall, and Miller, 138th overall, will both head to Philadelphia to begin their NFL careers. McGovern went 90th overall to the Dallas Cowboys, while the Detroit Lions used the 146th pick to take Oruwariye.