There’s been a lull at Linebacker U.
Penn State has not had a linebacker selected in the first three rounds of the NFL draft since 2010. Michael Mauti is the only first-team All-American in the last 11 years. And from 2011 to 2014, zero four-star or better linebackers chose Happy Valley.
But it seems the tide is turning. At least, it felt that way Wednesday.
Five-star inside linebacker Brandon Smith and four-star outside linebacker Lance Dixon put pen to paper, locking in as Nittany Lions on the first day of the early signing period. By doing so, Penn State joined Georgia, Florida and Oregon as the only teams to ink a top-15 inside and outside linebacker so far in the 2019 class.