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2021 NFL Draft: Pat Freiermuth back to Penn State Football a big boost

By Cory Kinnan

STATE COLLEGE, PA - SEPTEMBER 07: Pat Freiermuth #87 of the Penn State Nittany Lions catches a pass for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bulls during the second half at Beaver Stadium on September 07, 2019 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - SEPTEMBER 07: Pat Freiermuth #87 of the Penn State Nittany Lions catches a pass for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bulls during the second half at Beaver Stadium on September 07, 2019 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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With the 2021 NFL Draft up, Pat Freiermuth is back with Penn State Football

The Big Ten has officially returned as they are set to kick off at the end of October after initially postponing their season. As a result, we may see a ton of big named players from the conference who opted out choose to pivot and return to the field this Fall. In the same spirit, it seems that 2021 NFL Draft prospect and tight end Pat Freiermuth is back with his teammates Penn State Football Program after originally opting out.

While Micah Parsons, his teammate who also opted out, will not be back after he officially hired an agent, Freiermuth never made the commitment to the 2021 NFL Draft, leaving the door open as a result. Entering the season as one of the top draft eligible tight ends, Freiermuth is out to prove he can live up to the nickname “Baby Gronk.”

In addition to walking into head coach James Franklin’s press conference to announce his return, Freiermuth posted this to his official Twitter account:

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What this means for Penn State Football

This is the second time Freiermuth has opted to return to Penn State, first after his odd sophomore season where he was still three years removed from high school and technically draft-eligible in 2020, and now again after opting back in. As Penn State has lost a ton of talent such as Parsons, and guys like Yetur Gross-Matos, John Reid, and more to the 2020 NFL Draft, keeping a guy like Freiermuth at least gives the team a bit of continuity.

On an offense with Journey Brown, Rasheed Walker, and Freiermuth, Franklin should find plenty of comfort in the foundational pieces he has on that side of the ball.

Where Pat Freiermuth stands in 2021 NFL Draft circles

As it currently stands, Freiermuth is one of three tight ends at the top of most boards. The other two players include Florida’s lethal pass catcher Kyle Pitts, and Miami’s dynamic athlete Brevin Jordan. As it currently stands, Freiermuth is TE2 on this writer’s board behind only Pitts.

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Look for Freiermuth to once again be Sean Clifford’s favorite target for the Nittany Lions in 2020 as he is now set to return to action. Freiermuth is the first domino to fall, but could we see even more big named players return to their teams after the Big Ten announces its return?

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