Penn State problems big part of Oakman's NFL interviews
Shawn Oakman played his college football at Baylor, but Oakman acknowledged Friday that when teams interview him here at the NFL Scouting Combine, they want to know about Penn State.
INDIANAPOLIS -- Shawn Oakman played his college football at Baylor, but Oakman acknowledged Friday that when teams interview him here at the NFL Scouting Combine, they want to know about Penn State.
Specifically, they want to know how Oakman, a Penn Wood High graduate, born in Philadelphia, explains getting dismissed from the Nittany Lions by then-coach Bill O'Brien in 2012, after redshirting during the 2011 season. The last incident before his dismissal was an attempt to shoplift a hoagie.
"I was young. I was young and I did foolish things," Oakman said. As a chiseled 6-7 1/2, 287-pound defensive end, Oakman has a lot of the things NFL teams are looking for, but they're concerned he might have some baggage they don't want, as well.
"Everybody wants to know why you did it, everybody wants to pick and prod at you," Oakman said, when asked how much of his team interviews concern his past. "It's just to really get a reaction, you know? ... I was just young and making mistakes."
Oakman didn't come from a privileged background; he has said his mother struggled with mental health issues and HIV. Oakman, who lived in Kensington as a child, ended up in a foster home in Lansdowne. He said Friday he thinks his struggles shaped him.
"Growing up the way I did, you had to be tough," said Oakman. "It's nothing to take toughness from the streets to between the lines."
Oakman's production has been up and down, his junior season better than his senior year. He said that was because teams targeted and gameplanned for him more this past season. He had an inconsistent Senior Bowl week, but played well in the game, notching two sacks and forcing a fumble in the first half, en route to being named the South team MVP.
"It showed that I'm able to learn, showed that I'm able to grow," Oakman said. "Showed that I could be a better player than I showed on the film from my senior season."
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