Former Nittany Lion and current Pittsburgh linebacker John Petrishen has declared for the 2022 NFL Draft, per an announcement posted to his Twitter page.

“From Lower Burrell, to Pittsburgh Central Catholic, to Penn State, and to Pitt, I appreciate everyone who has been in my corner,” Petrishen said in a statement. “I have decided to forgo my 2x medical redshirt-COVID year-redshirt super super senior year of eligibility.”

A three-star recruit from Pittsburgh, Petrishen committed to Penn State as a safety in early 2015. Appearing in 16 games, Petrishen primarily saw playing time with the special teams unit. He recorded eight tackles before transferring from the program in 2018.

Petrishen returned to his hometown school for the 2019 season, when he joined the Pittsburgh Panthers. Initially playing special teams, Petrishen changed positions from safety to linebacker.

The position shift proved fruitful for the former Penn Stater. Over his final two seasons at Pitt, Petrishen recorded 81 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and three interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown. In 2021, he was a critical centerpiece of Pitt’s sixth-ranked rushing defense that helped pave the way to the school’s first-ever ACC Championship.

Petrishen is the fourth product of “LBU” – past or present – to declare for the 2022 NFL Draft, joining Brandon Smith, Ellis Brooks, and Jesse Luketa.

About the Author

Sam Fremin

Sam is a senior from Ashburn, Virginia, majoring in journalism and political science & minoring in German and creative writing. He is a Dallas Cowboys fan who relishes the misery of Eagles fans. All hate messages can be sent to sam@onwardstate.com or @SamFremin on Twitter.

He may or may not read every single comment he gets.

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