PHILADELPHIA — Former Penn State star Jahan Dotson was surrounded by family and friends on the night he was selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft.
When the Commanders called, informing Dotson they were taking him No. 16 overall, Dotson hugged everyone around him. Then, out of nowhere, James Franklin appeared.
Dotson didn’t know if his coach would make it to the draft party in Nazareth. Franklin had a commitment elsewhere. But the now-former Penn State coach pulled into the Dotson family’s driveway, jumped out and started celebrating.
That moment and that relationship Dotson had (and still has) with Franklin stuck with him. And like many former players, Dotson was hurt by Franklin’s firing.
Dotson, now a wide receiver with the Eagles, described Franklin’s Sunday dismissal as “tough.”
“When I think about Penn State football from my perspective, he’s the first person that pops to mind,” Dotson told PennLive. “It’s really tough to see your former coach, who you spent the best four years of your life with, to see him go. When I go up there, it’s not really going to be the same, being around the team. Just because he’s not there. I’m wishing him the best.”
Penn State Blue-White game, 2023
Penn State letterman Jahan Dotson and head coach James Franklin share a laugh at the Blue-White game on April 15, 2023. Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.com
Dotson joined Franklin’s program as a four-star recruit in 2018. The Nazareth graduate was originally committed to UCLA but flipped his commitment to Penn State and thrived as a four-year contributor with the Nittany Lions.
Dotson’s 183 catches ranks second all-time at Penn State. His 25 touchdown catches are tied for second-most in program history. And his 2,757 yards rank fourth.
Dotson had a dynamite senior year in 2021. He was named first-team All-Big Ten. He set the program record for most receiving yards in a single game (242 vs. Maryland). And over the course of that season, Dotson said he became “really close” with Franklin.
“He was family, obviously,” Dotson said. “But we became really tight. It was a parents away from home kind of thing. So it was really tough seeing him go the way he had to.”
Franklin was fired on Sunday after a three-game losing streak ended Penn State’s national championship hopes. It started with a heartbreaking White Out defeat to Oregon, followed by upset losses to UCLA and Northwestern.
Franklin finished his Penn State career with a 104-45 record — and a 31-17 mark during Dotson’s four years.
Dotson said he reached out and spoke with Franklin in the last couple of days.
“I told him I’m here for him if he needs anything,” Dotson said. “Just someone to talk to.”
Listen to the Blue-White Breakdown podcast
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.