PJ Mustipher NFL Draft Scouting Report

IDL, Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State defensive tackle PJ Mustipher projects as an early-down nose tackle in the NFL. He has a prototypical build for playing in the A-gap as a defensive lineman, capable of occupying significant space and occupying blockers to allow his defenders to flow freely in pursuit of the football. 

Originally a 4-star recruit, Mustipher played his high school football for McDonogh High School in Owings Mills, MD. He committed to Penn State as a member of their 2018 recruiting class after a successful career at McDonogh School, posting consensus All-State status in 2016 and also being named All-State in 2016. He was invited to the Big 33 rivalry game and participated in Nike’s The Opening Finals. Mustipher was also a high school wrestler, lettering three times and being named All-American twice. His brother, Sam, is an offensive lineman for the Chicago Bears after a successful career at Notre Dame. His father, Sam, played football at West Virginia. At Penn State, Mustipher has been a staple up front for several seasons, serving as a starter from 2020 to 2022. He missed the second half of the 2021 season with a season-ending left knee injury against Iowa before returning to the lineup in 2022. 

Mustipher offers an ideal build for the interior defensive line and has plenty of physical tools at his disposal that is worth finding an investment opportunity for. Initially a leaner penetration player as a recruit, Penn State has led him into a role as a bigger-bodied defender up front. He has plenty of length and the mass to play inside. Impressively, he still showcases admirable hustle to stay involved in plays even after they’ve worked out of the backfield—you’ll get his best effort on every snap. He’s done well to maintain his athleticism despite putting on pounds since his arrival in Happy Valley, too. I thought he did a better job in 2022 of consistently leveraging blockers and stacking them at the point of attack; offering a better glimpse at serving as a true two-gap defender at the NFL level. 

I didn’t see a great deal of appeal as a gap-penetration style defender, however—there were some fleeting flashes but I get the sense that he’s best served as a gap-control fit in an NFL system. That valuation is tapered considerably given the points of emphasis in today’s game. 

Expectations for Mustipher should be that he becomes an early-down run defender in the NFL. It may be in goalline and short-yardage situations only early in his career but Mustipher has the physical profile and athletic background needed to be a rotational run defender for an NFL franchise. His return to the lineup healthy in 2022 is a big boost to his resume as a draftable player. 

Top Reasons to Buy In:

• Ideal size and length to stack blocks at the point of attack
• A+ motor and effort player
• Pleasant range on plays that other A-gap defenders wouldn’t touch

Top Reasons For Concern:

• Consistency in pad level and leverage
• Lacks passing-down skill set and appeal
• Replacement-level role for many teams with no splash production

Size (NFL Combine):

Height: 6′ 4”

Weight: 320 lbs

Arm Length: 32 3/4”

Hand Size: 9”

Athletic Testing (NFL Combine):

40-yard Dash: 5.41s

Vertical Jump: 27.5”

Broad Jump: 8′ 0”

Short-Shuttle: 5.03s

Three-Cone: 8.01s

Bench Reps: 19 reps

Ideal Role: A-gap defender

Scheme Fit: Gap control front

Prospect Comparison: TBD

TDN Consensus Grade: 68.00/100 (Sixth-Round Value)

• Crabbs Grade: 68.00/100

Written By: Kyle Crabbs

Exposures: Wisconsin (2021), Auburn (2021), Auburn (2022), Northwestern (2022), Michigan (2022)

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