Penn State football LB Ellis Brooks sitting out Outback Bowl, declares for NFL Draft

Penn State football will be without another of its starting linebackers in the Outback Bowl and the 2022 season. Redshirt senior linebacker Ellis Brooks announced Monday evening that he will be opting out of the bowl game and entering the 2022 NFL Draft. He made the announcement via his personal Twitter account.

“My experience here at Penn State is something that I will always be extremely grateful for,” Brooks’ statement said. “Growing up as a kid with a dream to come play football for Penn State to having the actual opportunity to be a part of Linebacker U and this team is still a surreal feeling. … I’ll forever be a Penn Stater.”

Brooks is the second Penn State linebacker to make the decision after junior Brandon Smith made the same call Friday evening. The duo was joined as starting linebackers by sophomore Curtis Jacobs, who is ineligible for the 2022 NFL Draft.

The redshirt senior had an extra year of eligibility available after the NCAA allowed all athletes competing in the 2020-21 season an extra year of eligibility because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Brooks accumulated 18 starts and 47 appearances across his five seasons with the Nittany Lions. In that time, he piled up 226 total tackles, five sacks, two passes defended, two forced fumbles and an interception. He tallied 100 of those tackles this season.

The Nittany Lions already are set to lose starting cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields, starting defensive end Arnold Ebiketie, starting safety Jaquan Brisker and starting defensive tackle Derrick Tangelo because all four players are out of eligibility after using their extra year for the 2021 season.

With the departures of Brooks and Smith, the defense will likely take an even more different shape next year. They’ve lost at least six starters and defensive coordinator Brent Pry, who left for the Virginia Tech head coach job and was replaced by Manny Diaz.