Hackenberg, Johnson ask for NFL evaluations

It hardly rates as a surprise Penn State’s two most gifted juniors have asked for evaluations from the NFL on their potential draft status heading into next spring.

Head coach James Franklin confirmed Friday during Penn State’s TaxSlayer Bowl media day that quarterback Christian Hackenberg and defensive tackle Austin Johnson have requested opinions from the NFL Draft Advisory Board on where they might expect to be picked if they indeed declare themselves eligible for the 2016 draft.

Once considered a near-certain first-round pick, Hackenberg’s struggles the last two seasons behind a rickety offensive line have led many to doubt whether he’s ready for the NFL at all just yet.

Franklin said Penn State also provides some information to share with the players who want to measure their draft potential and their families, and he added he has spoken with Hackenberg and Johnson at various times throughout the past few weeks about the subject.

About a decade ago, Penn State receivers coach Josh Gattis went through the evaluation process when he was a junior safety at Wake Forest.

The decision for Hackenberg is one many around Penn State and college football will be watching, as several draft analysts have opined that returning to school especially with new offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead on the scene might be his best option.