Penn State is already losing one starter on the offensive line early to the 2015 NFL Draft. Now the Nittany Lions are losing a starter on the defensive side of the line. Deion Barnes will forgo his final year of eligibility to enter the NFL Draft in 2015, with his degree already in hand.
“I talked with my family and we believe it’s best for me to move forward and forgo my fifth year,” Barnes said in a statement released by Penn State on Tuesday evening.
Barnes started every game for Penn State this season and leaves the program with 30 starts. The former Big Ten Freshman Of The Year wraps up his collegiate career with six sacks this season and 98 career tackles and 14.0 career sacks.
Yesterday Penn State announced offensive lineman Donovan Smith will also skip his final year of eligibility to enter the NFL Draft.
Penn State is now looking to return 15 starters on offense (8) and defense (7) next season, which will be another season of some depth concerns as the program works its way back to a full roster under lifted scholarship reductions.