NFL Draft Spotlight on . . . Penn State's Dan Connor & Justin King

Today's NFL Draft Spotlight is on Penn State's Dan Connor and Justin King....Connor is a 6'3", 233 lb. linebacker while King is a 6'0", 186 lb. corner.....Jeff Rice of the State College Centre Daily took the time to respond about Connor and King....his time is greatly appreciated...

Q1. Dan Connor is Penn State's latest linebacking stud. How does he compare to last year's stud in Paul Posluszny? Who was better prepared for the NFL - Connor or Pos?
A. Connor (photo) and Posluszny were very similar players in college — both have great instincts, take good angles to the ball and finish off plays. Connor might be a little faster and thus a bit better in pass coverage, but both were as prepared for the NFL as you’ll find in a college player.

Q2. What areas must Connor improve upon in order to be a force in the NFL?
A. Even though Connor will probably play outside, I think he needs to add a little weight — he was listed at 235 pounds going into his senior season but probably finished the year around 230, which isn’t huge for a guy who is a legit 6-foot-2. He worked a lot on his pass rushing last season but probably needs a few more techniques to get past NFL tight ends, fullbacks and tackles, since he’s not going to do it with explosion.

Q3. Cornerback Justin King left a year early. What are your thoughts about that? Should King have stayed another year at Penn State or is he ready for the NFL?
A. I think King is as ready for the NFL now as he will ever be. He played significant minutes since his freshman season, he has good technique and great speed. He needs to add strength and size and improve his tackling, but it’s probably easier for him to bulk up as a pro anyway.

Q4. King has had some off-the-field issues. What are your thoughts about King and his maturity level?
A. King’s off-field issues were overblown — he’s not a troublemaker. He was mature enough to enroll early as a freshman and earn his degree in just three years. He’s always handled himself pretty well with the press, and his coaches liked his attitude and approach.

Q5. Who are some future NFL prospects that we should pay attention to on the 2008 Penn State team?
A. Sean Lee will be another Connor/Posluszny. Derrick Williams could wind up as a return specialist or third receiver for someone, and offensive linemen A.Q. Shipley and Rich Ohrnberger could be second-day picks or free agent signees.

Once again, I want to thank Jeff for his time...