April 28, 2017
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Wide receiver Chris Godwin (Middletown, Del.) was selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft Friday night. Godwin went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the 84th overall pick in the third round. Godwin is the seventh Penn State player to be drafted by the Bucs. He will join former teammate and 2015 second round draft pick Donovan Smith in Tampa Bay.
A total of 344 Nittany Lions have been selected all-time in the NFL Draft, which ranks seventh among Division I institutions, including 36 in the first round. Penn State has had 34 draft picks since 2008.
Penn State has had 22 wide receivers selected all-time. Godwin is the first Nittany Lion wide out to be drafted since Allen Robinson was chosen in the second round (#61 overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Nittany Lions have had eight wide receivers picked in the first three rounds since 1993.
"We are very excited for Chris to hear his named called during the NFL Draft," Penn State Head Coach James Franklin said. "He was a terrific leader for us and made tons of big time plays during his Penn State career and I expect him to do the same with the Buccaneers. He has terrific leaping ability and ball skills that allows him to come down with a majority of contested catches. I believe Chris will add his name to the list of Nittany Lion wide receivers to excel at the next level."
"Chris Godwin has been an exceptional player and teammate during his time here at Penn State," wide receivers coach Josh Gattis said. "Chris will be missed deeply by this program, but we wish him the best moving forward in his NFL career! Chris is an elite receiver that will have a very long and successful career in the NFL! His talent is a direct reflection of his work ethic. Chris has the ability to make an immediate impact in Tampa Bay!"
Godwin earned All-Big Ten third team honors from the media and honorable mention accolades from the coaches this season after an appearance on the All-Big Ten second team last year. Godwin was also named to the All-Big Ten third team by Phil Steele and Athlon Sports. He turned in a stellar junior campaign with 59 catches for 982 yards and a Penn State junior-record 11 touchdowns. He was 22nd in FBS with 11 scores and ranked 40th in FBS and third in the Big Ten in receiving yards. He finished the season sixth on Penn State's season receiving yardage list, tied for second in receiving touchdowns and seventh in receptions.
The native of Middletown, Delaware finished his career ranked fourth on Penn State career receiving yardage list with 2,404 yards, seventh with 153 receptions and tied for fourth with 18 career receiving touchdowns. Godwin became the third player in Penn State history to have 1,000 receiving yards in a season, joining Allen Robinson and Bobby Engram, with his performance in 2015. His 2015 season stands second on Penn State's season receiving yards list with 1,101 and fourth in receptions (66).
The Nittany Lions' home schedule features a trio of non-conference games, including Pitt's first visit to Beaver Stadium since 1999. The Nittany Lions open the season against Akron (Sept. 2) and face Pitt (Sept. 9) and Georgia State (Sept. 16) to close out a three-game homestand to start the year. In Big Ten play, Penn State welcomes Indiana (Sept. 30), Michigan (Oct. 21), Rutgers (Nov. 11 - Homecoming) and Nebraska (Nov. 18) to Happy Valley.
More than 6,500 new season tickets have been sold for the 2017 campaign. For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing new 2017 season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.PSUnrivaled.com, call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office weekdays from 10 a.m-6 p.m.