As expected, it was a very busy weekend for former Penn State football players.  In the end, six Lions heard their names called by Roger Goodell–or by one of his subordinates–and a handful more have been signed as free agents or surely will.  The six Penn State draftees ties Iowa for the most in the Big Ten, and nearly equals the combined total of Michigan (three) and Ohio State (four, though 3 were among the last 15 picks).

Jared Odrick was the only “sure-fire” first round pick from Penn State, and even he slid further down the board than expecting, slipping all the way down to 28 where he was scooped up by Bill Parcells’ Miami Dolphins.  Odrick will be able to slide over to the Defensive End position in Miami’s 3-4, where he was perhaps best equipped to play in the NFL.  Unfortunately, it means that I, as a Jets fan, can no longer root for Odrick.  Sorry, Jared. It’s been fun.

Sean Lee shot up draft boards to the point where his stock eclipsed that of his fellow linebackers, and sure enough, Lee was the second Nittany Lion off the board, scooped up in the second round by the Dallas Cowboys (who, for my money, had an awesome draft).  If you watched the draft on NFL Network, you heard Mike Mayock rave about Lee, and he’ll have a chance to fight for playing time immediately as an inside linebacker in Dallas’ 3-4.

Navorro Bowman was considered a first-round prospect when he first declared for the draft, but it now seems that forgoing his senior season wasn’t the best idea.  Bowman fell all the way to the third round, where the 49ers scooped him up.  I’m curious about the fit, as Bowman is hardly a prototypical 3-4 linebacker–too small to play inside but not much of a pure pass rusher, either.  Still, the 49ers couldn’t pass up Bowman’s raw talent, and I’m sure he’ll be utilized in some way that showcases his athleticism.

Andrew Quarless might have been among the most physically talented tight ends in this draft, but he fell to the fifth round, where the Green Bay Packers scooped him up.  If Quarless shores up his blocking, there’s no reason why he won’t start out as the #2 tight end, and could even challenge Donald Lee for starting time.  He seemed to have finally figured things out last year–maturity, consistency, and the game of football, and to keep that development going could make this pick a steal for the Packers.

Mickey Shuler was the 6th round selection of the Minnesota Vikings, and I always felt that Shuler could be one of those players  better equipped for the NFL than the college game.  If Brett Favre doesn’t return, Minnesota will be running the ball a ton, and could use a mauling lead blocker like Shuler to lead the way for Adrian Peterson and the newly added Toby Gerhart.  Visanthe Shiancoe is more of a pass-catcher, so Shuler should slot in immediately as the #2 for the Vikes.

Josh Hull was the second to last draft pick of the NFL draft, though it would’ve been so much more fitting if he’d been picked last.  Being this year’s “Mr. Irrelevant” would’ve been a good analogy of his career up to this point–going from walk on to backup, twice thrust into the starting lineup because of injuries, and finally drafted into the NFL.  It’s going to be tough for him to stick, even with the Rams, but this certainly helps Josh get his foot in the door.

A.J. Wallace will join his former teammate Jared Odrick in Miami, according to his Twitter account.  Wallace played well at times during his Penn State career, but struggled to put it all together.  Still, remember where this kid was coming out of high school–immense raw talent that, if some NFL coach could channel it, could pay off.

Dennis Landolt was rumored to be heading to the Redskins, but in the end he signed with one of their rivals, the New York Giants.  As a New Yorker, I can tell you that the Giants have a rapidly aging offensive line, and I was surprised they didn’t really address the position more during the draft.  If he impresses, Landolt has a chance to stick.  When it comes to offensive linemen, especially, not being drafted isn’t always a death knell.

Daryll Clark is still looking to find a home in the NFL, though he will almost assuredly be signed by somebody over the next few days.  Early rumors had Clark heading to join his former center, A.Q. Shipley in Pittsbugh (edit: reader John tells us that Shipley’s actually caught on with the Eagles), but they’ve been debunked.  We’ll see where Clark ends up, and pull hard for him to make a good first impression.

Update:, 5:25: The Daily Collegian is reporting that Daryll Clark will head to the Washington Redskins, having signed a free agent contract.  The Redskins depth chart at QB is pretty weak, especially after trading Jason Campbell to Washington.  After Donovan McNabb, it’s just Rex Grossman, Colt Brennan, and some guy named Richard Bartel, from Tarleton State, which I had no idea existed.  It’s very possible that if Clark plays well, he could earn the backup job.  He should almost assuredly stick as the number three guy.  For Clark, this is the best situation imaginable.  When you hear the talking heads say that for some players, it’s better to go undrafted, this is exactly what they’re talking about.