Penn State S Jaquan Brisker

6-foot-2
206 pounds

Yahoo Sports' 2022 NFL draft grade

5.85 — possible second-rounder; starter potential

TL;DR scouting report

Feisty, instinctive playmaker with good versatility, but is he too lean to be featured often in the box?

The skinny

A 3-star Rivals recruit in the Class of 2019, Brisker spent two years at Lackawanna Community College before committing to the Nittany Lions. He didn't start but played extensively in 13 games, making 32 tackles (one for loss) with two interceptions and three pass breakups. Brisker started nine games in 2020, with 57 tackles (three for losses), one interception and seven pass breakups. In 2021, he started 12 games and made 64 tackles (5.5 for losses), two interceptions, five pass breakups and a fumble recovery.

Upside

• Strong testing performance at NFL combine — above average to excellent in every drill

• Nice length — nearly 6-foot 2 with nearly 32-inch arms

• Very good strength and lower-body explosion

• Crashes in hard to stop the run — sacrifices body to make stops

• Fights ferociously through blocks, even by tight ends and offensive linemen

• Versatile performer — lined up at deep safety, in box, in slot, as blitzer

• Handled variety of coverage roles well

• Knack for clutch plays — game-sealing INT vs. Wisconsin, TD-saving tackle vs. OSU

• Strong instincts in coverage — good nose for the ball, feel for route running

• Playmaking ability — five INTs, 19 PDs in 970 coverage snaps

• Threat with the ball in his hands — averaged 18 yards per INT return

• Can quickly wheel around and make plays the other direction

• Tough — played 2021 season with nagging shoulder injury

• Zero penalties in final 26 college games

• Decent special-teams experience — nearly 250 snaps over three seasons

• Took big strides in mental processing last season

• High-effort player — cares about his craft

Downside

• Lean build that could use more armor

• Will be hard to make hay as box safety below 200 pounds

• Might require clever coordinator to maximize his NFL effectiveness

• Still inconsistent as tackler — too many poor-form attempts

• Can bite hard on run action from deep safety alignment

• Eyes glued to QB in zone coverage — can lose phase with receivers

• Stung a few times in coverage by Ohio State with clever concepts

• Can lose physical battles in coverage to tight ends

• Not a lot of true one-on-one coverage battles on tape in man

• Slightly older prospect — turns 23 years old in April

Best-suited destination

Brisker is a tricky study. He's instinctive, with a nose for the ball, and his athletic traits appear ideal for the safety position on the surface. But playing him in a deep safety role might not get the most out of his playmaking ability, and thrusting him up close to the line of scrimmage could be asking a lot for a sub-200-pounder. Any team that can find a hybrid role for Brisker and suit it best to his strengths could be getting a heck of a performer in time.

Did you know

His grandfather, John Brisker, played college basketball at Toledo and in the ABA and NBA with the Pittsburgh Pipers, Pittsburgh Condors and Seattle SuperSonics. He was known as one of 1970s professional basketball's toughest customers, ejected from games frequently and nicknamed "the heavyweight champion of the ABA."

After his basketball days were over, Brisker is believed to have traveled to Africa to start an import-export business. But after calling his girlfriend one day in 1978, he was reportedly never seen or heard from again, eventually declared legally deceased in 1985. But to this day, there are some who question the nature of Brisker's disappearance — and wonder whether he really died then.

Player comp

Shades of Jimmie Ward and Julian Blackmon

Expected draft range

Top 50 pick