Penn State WR KJ Hamler Declares for 2020 NFL Draft After Cotton Bowl Win

Penn State wide receiver KJ Hamler announced Tuesday he will forgo his final two years of eligibility and enter the 2020 NFL draft.

Hamler leaves the Nittany Loins having caught 98 passes for 1,658 yards and 13 touchdowns over two seasons.

He arrived in State College as a 4-star recruit but not one of the top wideouts in the 2017 class. He sat 47th at his position and 323rd overall in 247Sports' composite rankings after missing his senior year at IMG Academy with a torn ACL.

With DaeSean Hamilton, Mike Gesicki and Saquon Barkley providing serious competition for targets, Hamler redshirted in 2017.

After those three moved on to the NFL in 2018, he assumed an important role in the passing game and delivered. His production didn't suffer much in 2019 either after quarterback Sean Clifford replaced the outgoing Trace McSorley.

Former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer had high praise for Hamler in October, calling him "as productive player as there is in the Big Ten":

He has provided plenty of big plays that highlight his speed and athleticism as well. He can beat secondaries over the top or turn shorter throws into long gains in a matter of moments:

Hamler's work on special teams has also showcased how elusive he can be in tight spaces:

Hamler's frame (5'9", 176 pounds) isn't ideal, but CBS Sports' Chris Trapasso compared him to three-time Pro Bowler DeSean Jackson, who's only one inch taller. Out of the slot, Hamler can be a dangerous option at the next level.

His decision to go pro now is a bit surprising since he could've improved his stock by spending at least one more year at Penn State. In his most recent big board, Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked Hamler as the 13th-best wide receiver in the 2020 class.

The draft will feature no shortage of dynamic pass-catchers, with Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III and CeeDee Lamb all cracking Miller's overall top 10. Because of that, Hamler can probably only help himself so much at the NFL Scouting Combine and Penn State's pro day.

At worst, though, he projects as a Day 2 pick, so it's not hard to see why he prefers plying his trade in the NFL next season.