Penn State Nittany Lions safety Jaquan Brisker, wide receiver Jahan Dotson opt out of Outback Bow...

Penn State senior safety Jaquan Briskerand standout receiverJahan Dotsonannounced on Monday that they will opt out of the Nittany Lions' Outback Bowl game against Arkansas to prepare for the NFL draft.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Brisker, who returned for his "super senior" season, is Mel Kiper Jr.'s No. 3 safety in his positional draft rankings. Brisker was a team captain and a semifinalist for the Thorpe and Bednarik awards this year.

Dotson had 91 receptions for 1,182 yards and 12 touchdowns this season, ranking second in team history for all three categories in a single season. ESPN's Mel Kiper rates Dotson as the No. 14 overall prospect for the draft, and the No. 3 wide receiver.

Dotson finished in Penn State's top four in career numbers for receptions (183) receiving yards (2,757) and receiving touchdowns (25). He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and was a semifinalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year award.

A third-team All-Big Ten selection in 2020, Dotson owns Penn State records for single-season punt return average (24.6 yards in 2020) and single-game receiving yards (242 against Maryland on Nov. 6).

Linebackers Ellis Brooks and Brandon Smith, Penn State's two leading tacklers, had previously announced they would not play in the New Year's Day game to prepare for the draft.

Brisker, a junior college transfer from Lackawanna Community College in Pennsylvania, played in 34 games in three seasons for Penn State, collecting 152 tackles, 19 passes defensed and five interceptions.