Penn State safety Nick Scott became the sixth former Nittany Lion to be drafted Saturday.
Late in the seventh round, the Los Angeles Rams selected Scott with the 243rd overall pick. Draft analysts were mixed on whether he'd be selected, although ESPN's Mel Kiper had Scott ranked as high as No. 218 overall in his list of top 300 prospects.
Scott backed up Marcus Allen in 2016 and 2017, but he proved to be one of Penn State's most consistent players in 2018, his only season as a starter. He finished his senior year with 65 tackles and three interceptions. For his career, Scott totaled 114 tackles, many of which came on special teams, as he was a major contributor on coverage units throughout his career. That likely played a part in the Rams selecting him late in the draft.
Scott grew up in Lancaster, Pa., but he played his high school ball at Fairfax in Virginia. He was a three-star prospect coming out of high school and was recruited to play running back for the Lions. Scott began his career on offense, but switched to defense in 2016.
Head coach James Franklin issued a statement following Scott's selection.
“We are thrilled for Nick to sign with the Los Angeles Rams. He did everything that we asked of him during his time at Penn State and was willing to sacrifice for the team. Nick developed into a leader on the field and in the locker room as he became a two-time team captain," said Franklin.
""He was one of our most versatile players, playing running back as a freshman and sophomore before moving to safety his final two years. He was also a four-year starter on multiple special teams units. Nick played his best football as a senior. He is an aggressive, fearless tackler, who is one of the most explosive athletes in our program. We are also proud of Nick for graduating with his degree in psychology last August.”
Scott was the final Nittany Lion to be selected in the 2019 NFL Draft. RB Miles Sanders (No. 53 overall) and OL Connor McGovern (No. 90) were both selected Friday evening. Sanders will stay in-state and play for the Philadelphia Eagles, while McGovern was selected by the Dallas Cowboys. DE Shareef Miller was also selected by the Eagles (No. 138), and CB Amani Oruwairye (No. 146) was selected just a few picks later by the Detroit Lions. QB Trace McSorley went 197th overall to the Baltimore Ravens.
