Geno Stone, lightly recruited by most Power 5 schools only three years ago, became the 12th New Castle graduate to enter the NFL on Saturday when he was drafted in the seventh round (219th overall) by the Baltimore Ravens.
He ended up at Iowa, where he played safety. In 2018, he made Penn State notice him by returning an interception 24 yards for a touchdown in a 30-24 loss to the Nittany Lions.
Stone, 5-foot-10, 207 pounds, intercepted three other passes that season while making only eight starts.
Last season, he was named second-team all-Big Ten with 70 tackles, three forced fumbles and an interception.
Stone joins an elite group of New Castle graduates to end up in the NFL:
• Ohio State safety Malik Hooker was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the first round (15th overall) in 2017.
• Penn State defensive lineman Bruce Clark was the fourth overall pick by the Green Bay Packers in 1980. He played one season in the CFL before the Packers traded him to the New Orleans Saints.
• Defensive end Bill McPeak, who attended Notre Dame and Pitt, was picked in the 16th round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1949.
• Legendary New Castle coach Lindy Lauro spent one season with the Chicago Cardinals in 1951 after playing defensive back at Pitt. Lauro won 220 games at New Castle, with six undefeated seasons.
