ALTOONA, Pa. -- Few people had any idea how good Arnold Ebiketie could be when he transferred from Temple to Penn State last year, but what a difference a year has made for the defensive end.
Also a year ago, Kenny Pickett was nowhere to be found on mock drafts, but that has changed in a huge way after the quarterback's sensational season at Pitt.
As for Jahan Dotson, the wide receiver did have the kind of year many believed he could have for the Nittany Lions, and he'll soon be rewarded for it.
All three of those players turned up in the first round of Mel Kiper Jr.'s first mock draft for ESPN, released Wednesday. Here's where Kiper has each player going:
16. Arnold Ebiketie, Eagles
18. Kenny Pickett, Saints
26. Jahan Dotson, Dolphins
And what about the Steelers, who pick 20th? Kiper has them taking a quarterback. It's obviously not Pickett, so which one? More on that down below.
Ebiketie began his career at Temple, so it would be quite a journey if he does indeed make his way back to Philly to play for the Eagles. He was a first-team all-Big Ten selection this past season and finished with 9.5 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, two blocked kicks and 62 tackles.
"The Eagles finished the regular season with wins in six of their final eight games powered by their running game, but again, this defense showed several holes," Kiper wrote. "One of those was the pass rush -- they finished 31st in the league in sacks with just 29, 11 of those coming from the tackle duo of Javon Hargrave and Fletcher Cox. I see edge rusher as a priority, even if 2017 first-rounder Derek Barnett, a free agent this offseason, returns to the team. He has never quite put together a consistent season, and he had just two sacks in 2021. So let's use the pick from the Carson Wentz trade on a rising pass-rusher.
"Ebiketie, a transfer from Temple, is coming off a stellar season for the Nittany Lions. He had 9.5 sacks, 19 total tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. He has long arms and is explosive at the snap, and he's strong enough to set the edge in the run game. I'm a big fan."
The Eagles pick 15th, 16th and 19th in the draft, so they'll have a chance to make a major impact to their roster in that short span of first-round picks.
Kiper has Pickett slotted at No. 18 to the Saints, as the second quarterback drafted. He has Liberty's Malik Willis at No. 11 to Washington as the first quarterback selected.
Here's what Kiper wrote about Pickett, and make sure to note the part about hand size, which may sound silly but certainly can be a factor to some teams.
"The Saints won four of five games to end the season and almost snuck into the playoffs, but their offense was subpar after Jameis Winston tore his ACL in late October. If Winston goes elsewhere in free agency, Sean Payton is going to want a new quarterback to coach up. Taysom Hill, who turns 32 before the start of the 2022 season, hasn't shown enough to be considered their QB of the present nor future.
"That's why I see Pickett, who's coming off an efficient 42-touchdown, seven-interception season, as the perfect fit for New Orleans. He took a huge leap in 2021, showing off pinpoint accuracy to every area of the field. He started 49 games in college, so he can play right away for a team that wants to compete for the playoffs.
"The biggest question I've heard from people in the NFL is one that you might laugh at: hand size. Pickett has small hands -- we'll find out their exact size at the Senior Bowl soon -- and that matters to the teams doing the drafting. If he can play his home games in a dome in New Orleans, that's a plus."
The Saints pick two spots ahead of the Steelers. There have been a number of analysts who have projected Pittsburgh could take the Panthers star and keep him in town, and that sort of thing could conceivably happen if Pickett is in the neighborhood at 20.
Kiper, though, has the Steelers picking Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral at No. 20.
Here's what Kiper wrote about Corral to the Steelers:
"Like the Saints, the Steelers could immediately contend if they can figure out their quarterback position this offseason. Ben Roethlisberger appears likely to retire. I don't see backups Mason Rudolph or Dwayne Haskins as NFL starters. They do have a strong core on both sides of the ball, though. If they acquire a veteran signal-caller via free agency or in a trade, this could be a spot to target a lineman to help a below-average O-line, but let's assume for now that they go into the draft without adding one."
Dotson had a terrific season (91 catches, 1,182 yards) for Penn State and was as reliable as any receiver in the country catching every pass thrown his way. He's slotted as 26th to the Dolphins, who already have former Penn State tight end Mike Gesicki on the roster.
“Miami has used significant assets to build its offense around quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, but not every move has worked out, particularly along the offensive line," Kiper wrote. "They’ve used three top-50 picks on the O-line in the past two drafts, and none of the three — Austin Jackson, Liam Eichenberg and Robert Hunt — is a surefire above-average starter. With Trevor Penning off the board in the previous pick, though, I don’t have another lineman with a Round 1 grade. So let’s address another spot to help Tagovailoa with this pick, which comes from the 49ers’ trade up in last year’s draft.
"Dotson is a speedster who had 91 catches for 1,182 yards and 12 scores in 2021. Jaylen Waddle caught 104 passes as a rookie, but the best way to help Tagovailoa is to get him another pass-catcher who can make plays after the catch. Dotson is explosive with the ball in his hands and has the versatility to line up all over the field.”