May 2, 2015
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Penn State tight end Jesse James (Glassport) in the fifth round of the 2015 National Football League Draft Saturday afternoon. He joins tackle Donovan Smith (Owings Mills, Md.), who was a second round selection of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and safety Adrian Amos (Baltimore, Md.), who was also a fifth round pick by the Chicago Bears, as Penn State players selected in this year's Draft.
Penn State has had at least three NFL Draft picks 17 times since starting Big Ten Conference competition in 1993. A total of 338 Nittany Lions have been selected all-time in the NFL Draft, including 36 in the first round.
James was the No. 160 overall selection in the 2015 NFL Draft. Smith is the 39th Penn State football student-athlete to be drafted since 2006, including 17 in the first three rounds.
A native of Glassport, Pennsylvania, James is the first Penn State tight end to be drafted since Andrew Quarless and Mickey Shuler were picked in the 2010 Draft. James is the 25th Penn State player drafted by Pittsburgh, tied for the most among NFL teams. He is the first Penn State selection by the Steelers since A.Q. Shipley was picked in the seventh round of the 2009 Draft.
"I am truly happy for Jesse," Penn State Head Coach James Franklin said. "He has tremendous speed and skills for a guy his size; he is a just freak athlete. Jesse has the ability to be a tremendous offensive weapon for the Steelers. As he continues to work on his game at this next level, he has the potential to grow into a complete tight end."
"Jesse was one of the smartest and hardest working players on our team last year," Offensive Coordinator and Tight Ends Coach John Donovan said. "He has been a great example in the tight end room with his preparation for games each and every week. He will make us all proud and we wish him all the best."
A true junior, James holds the Penn State record for career touchdowns by a tight end with 11, breaking a tie with College Football Hall of Fame inductee Ted Kwalick against Maryland last November. Named to the Mid-season Mackey Award Watch List, James was third on the squad last season with 38 receptions for 396 yards (10.4), leading the Nittany Lions with three touchdown catches. He increased his number of catches each year by at least 10 the last two seasons, making 15 catches in 2012, 25 in 2013 and 38 in 2014.
James made at least one catch in each of his final collegiate 18 games, including three catches for 27 yards in Penn State's 31-30 overtime win over Boston College in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl. He made one of the critical plays of the game when he bulled his way to a 17-yard catch on 3rd-and-15 to give the Nittany Lions a first down in overtime. The 6-7, 271-pound James made a career-high seven catches for 60 yards in the season opening win over UCF in Dublin, Ireland.
A standout at South Allegheny High School, James was named an honorable mention Freshman All-American as a true freshman in 2012. His 31 career starts were tied for second-highest on the squad. James served as director of marketing for Penn State's Uplifting Athletes chapter, helping the Nittany Lions raise a record total of $151,990 during 2013-14 for the Kidney Cancer Association to push the team's total past $1 million over the 11 years of the Penn State Lift For Life.
There were 28 former Nittany Lions with NFL teams during the 2014 season, again placing Penn State in the top 20 nationally among schools in producing current NFL players. Penn State was ranked No. 2 among Big Ten teams in players on 2014 NFL rosters.
For the 44th time in the Super Bowl's 49-game history, at least one Penn State alumnus was a member of one of the participating teams (18 times in last 20 years). Thirty-seven former Nittany Lions have earned a total of 54 Super Bowl rings, most recently Jordan Hill and since-retired running back Michael Robinson with Seattle last year. A total of 105 Nittany Lions have been on Super Bowl rosters.
The Nittany Lions open the 2015 campaign on the road against Temple at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday, September 5.
Season tickets for the 2015 campaign are on sale, with nearly 3,000 new season tickets having been sold. For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing new 2015 season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit PSUnrivaled.com, call 1-800-NITTANY or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office weekdays from 10 a.m-6 p.m.