May 8, 2015
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - Penn State linebacker Mike Hull (Canonsburg) and defensive end Deion Barnes (Philadelphia) have signed a National Football League rookie free agent contracts. Hull inked a deal with the Miami Dolphins, while Barnes signed with the New York Jets.
The pair brings the total to six players from the 2014 Penn State squad to be drafted or signed by NFL teams this spring. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected tackle Donovan Smith (Owings Mills, Md.) in the second round of the 2015 National Football League Draft. The Chicago Bears picked safety Adrian Amos (Baltimore, Md.) in the fifth round, while the Steelers took tight end Jesse James (Glassport) off the board in the fifth round. Miles Dieffenbach (Pittsburgh) signed a rookie free agent deal joined James in Pittsburgh.
Additionally, the Jets announced that Bill Belton (Sickerville, N.J.) has been invited to rookie camp for a tryout, while Brad Bars (Nashville, Tenn.) was invited to New York Giants rookie camp.
Stephon Morris (Greenbelt, Md.), a 2013 rookie free agent signee of the New England Patriots, has been invited to a rookie camp tryout with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Morris, who did not graduate before leaving Penn State, continued his degree work and is slated to graduate on Saturday with his degree in telecommunications.
"I am so incredibly proud of Mike, not only does he have his degree from Penn State, but also his Linebacker U degree," Penn State Head Coach James Franklin said. "I have no doubt that he will succeed on the next level because of his tremendous work ethic, great motor and nose for the ball. Mike is one of the best linebackers that I have worked with in my 20 years in football."
"Mike embodies everything about a Penn State linebacker and the tradition of linebackers at Penn State," Assistant Head Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach Brent Pry said. "He is very much a student of the game. He is an incredibly hard worker. He is somebody that is potentially your most productive player week in and week out and he was also day in and day out your best practice player and that's a testament to the time of young man that he is. Mike is one of the quicker and more explosive linebackers that I have seen play at this level. What some may consider he lacks in size, he certainly makes up for in having a skill set that is above and beyond what most linebackers carry to the game. Mike's a very humble and very deserving young man. He is the type of young man that you would like to have represent you as a coach or program. I can't say enough positive things about Mike."
Hull earned eight All-America recognitions last fall, including FWAA, Sporting News and USA Today second team honors and Associated Press third team accolades. The 2014 Big Ten Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year, Hull led the conference with 140 tackles (9th in FBS) and had 10.5 TFL (minus 28), 2.0 sacks, one interception, a forced fumble, one fumble recovery and three pass break-ups. He was selected first team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media, as well as BTN.com and ESPN.com.
The Canonsburg, Pennsylvania native led the Nittany Lions in tackles in 11 games in his senior season, including eight double-digit performances, and three games with nine stops. Hull made at least nine stops in 17 of his last 21 games. He tallied 23 career starts, including his last 20 games.
The Nittany Lions' team MVP, Hull ranks sixth on Penn State's career tackles list with 294 and also tied for fourth on the Penn State season tackles list with 140. He had 12 career double-digit tackle performances in his career. The former Canon-McMillan High School All-American was among the four Nittany Lions invited to the Reese's Senior Bowl and five Penn Staters to participate in the 2015 NFL Combine.
Hull graduated in May 2014 with a degree in finance from the Smeal College of Business.
"I couldn't be happier for Deion," Franklin said. "He is another guy for us that graduated in three and a half years. He has great size and speed off the edge. Deion started his career as a great pass rusher, but has worked hard to develop into a complete player. He has a great work ethic and an understanding of the game to make him a solid contributor for the Jets."
"Deion is a true student of the game," Defensive Line Coach Sean Spencer said. "He has the ability maximize all of his skills by his work ethic and effort. He is a consistent pass rusher, who understands technique and leverage. What will help him at the next level is his ability to just outwork people."
Barnes earned a bid to the 2015 Reese's Senior Bowl and was honorable mention All-Big Ten after finishing second on the team and tied for 11th in the Big Ten with 12.5 tackles for loss during the 2014 campaign. He also recorded 6.0 sacks, which were second on the squad and 14th in the conference. Barnes made 44 tackles, led the Nittany Lions with three quarterback hurries and had one forced fumble and one pass break-up this past season.
The Philadelphia native finished his career with 98 tackles in three seasons. He also registered 14.0 sacks and 26.5 tackles for a loss during his career. Barnes was the 2012 Thompson-Randle El Big Ten Freshman of the Year after contributing 26 tackles (10 TFL), 6.0 sacks and three forced fumbles as a redshirt freshman. Additionally, he Barnes was a consensus first-team Freshman All-American, earning the honor from CBSsports.com, Sporting News, CollegeFootballNews.com, Fox Sports/Scout.com and Phil Steele's College Football in 2012. He also was selected honorable mention All-Big Ten by the coaches and media and was named to the ESPN.com and BTN.com Big Ten All-Freshman teams in 2012.
Barnes graduated from Penn State in December 2014 with a degree in recreation, parks and tourism management.
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.