Penn State wide receiver KJ Hamler will enter the NFL draft

KJ Hamler, Penn State’s electrifying wide receiver and return man, announced Tuesday night on Twitter than he will skip his final two years of eligibility and enter the 2020 NFL Draft.

The 5-foot-9, 176-pound Hamler, of Pontiac, Mich., is considered a second-round pick in some mock drafts.

“After much prayer and discussion with my family, I have decided to pursue my lifelong dream of playing in the NFL,” Hamler said in a statement. “The last three years at Penn State has been nothing short of amazing. My time has been an unforgettable experience and has prepared me for this next chapter in my life. For that I will forever be grateful.”

Hamler led the Nittany Lions with 56 receptions and 904 receiving yards this season, averaging 16.1 yards per catch and scoring eight touchdowns. He averaged 21.4 yards on 24 kickoff returns and 5.5 yards on 23 punt returns. His 122.0 all-purpose yards per game ranked 28th in FBS.

As a redshirt freshman last year, he caught 42 passes for 754 yards and five TDs, with a 17.9-yard average per reception.

Hamler sat out his first year at Penn State as he continued to rehabilitate a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered during his senior season at IMG Academy.

Hamler thanked head coach James Franklin “for recruiting and believing in me.” He singled out both wide receivers coach Gerad Parker “for being my biggest mentor and father figure away from home,” and running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider, with whom he had “a bond that started way before PSU.”

He also saluted “my brothers on the field … for always having my back, both on and off the field. Continue to ball out!”

The departure of Hamler leaves the Nittany Lions with just one returning wide receiver, Jahan Dotson, who caught 10 or more passes during the 2019 season. Dotson had 27 catches for 488 yards and five touchdowns.