(WHTM) — Super Bowl week will feature a pair of Penn State secondary standouts as the Rams and Bengals face off in Los Angeles. Rams safety Nick Scott and cornerback Grant Haley both got their start in Happy Valley and now will play on the biggest stage in the NFL.
Penn State Associate Head Coach Terry Smith joins The Sports Extra Podcast to give some insight on these two players, his pick to win the Super Bowl and what it was like to coach the Defensive Rookie of the Year: Micah Parsons.
Plus friend the podcast gives our picks to win the big game and everyone tends to agree way too much with Logan Reever this episode.
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Penn State players in the Super Bowl
Born and raised in Lancaster until he was 11 years-old, Rams safety Nick Scott always did whatever it took to get on the field, regardless of what position he needed to play.
Safety (33) Nick Scott of the Los Angeles Rams warms up before playing against the Houston Texans in an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021, in Houston, Texas. (AP Photo/Jeff Lewis) 
Los Angeles Rams safety Nick Scott (33) during an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Monday, Dec. 13, 2021, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) 
Penn State running back Nick Scott (24) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Army in State College, Pa., Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
His versatility and strength proved vital in his Penn State career. His time in Happy Valley came with a choice: give up playing running back and switch to defense in the secondary. By the time he would graduate, Scott was a two-time captain and won the team’s Captain Award.
He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL Draft to the Rams, expected to be a contributor on special teams. He had two crucial interceptions for the Rams during the regular season and one of Tom Brady in the Rams Divisional victory over the Bucs.
Grant Haley is best remembered at Penn State for returning the blocked field goal for the game-winning touchdown against then-undefeated Ohio State in 2016. The Nittany Lions went on to win the Big Ten Championship.
The 26-year-old was an undrafted free agent after the 2018 NFL Draft and was signed by the New York Giants. He spent the 2020 season with the New Orleans Saints on both the practice squad and the active roster.
Haley was signed by the Los Angeles Rams on October 20, 2021 to play on the practice squad. He was promoted to active roster in January 2022.
Also in the episode
Super Bowl matchup: It’s the last chance to pick the big game. Can the Bengals pull off the upset of the decade? Will the Rams survive the pressure of winning with a star-studded roster and all the expectations?
No more all-star games: If no one is going to play, then there shouldn’t be a Pro Bowl.
Meet the voices behind the podcast: Allie Berube and Logan Reever. The Sports Extra Podcast is designed to bring listeners closer to the games, teams, and athletes they love. The podcast will dive deeper than the hosts can go on TV.
The Sports Extra Podcast releases episodes every Thursday. The goal is to talk about national sports with a local flair. Allie & Logan bring guests on each week to share their perspectives on sports.
You can catch The Sports Extra Podcast presented by abc27 each week. The team drops new episodes every Thursday. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or right here on abc27.com.
