While it may be Aaron Rodgers and Sauce Gardner who dominate the filming of HBO’s Hard Knocks this summer, there are three former Pitt Panthers who will be around.
With ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting that the New York Jets will be featured on the HBO series Hard Knocks this summer, there will be even more bright lights following the Jets this summer.
Hard Knocks is a series that follows on- and off-the-field storylines of the players, coaches and team staff throughout training camp and into the preseason — often focusing on rookies adapting to the NFL and those who are on the fringe of making the roster in the fall. It should be an intriguing season of Hard Knocks will Rodgers’ first offseason in New York.
Former Panther, and Central Valley alumni, Jordan Whitehead signed with the Jets ahead of the 2022 season, and Israel Abanikanda and Carter Warren were both selected by the Jets in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Whitehead was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2018 NFL Draft, spending four seasons in Tampa before signing with the Jets before the 2022 season. He racked up 89 tackles (58 solo), four tackles for loss and two interceptions as a starter in the defense.
Abanikanda was selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, joining a backfield that includes Breece Hall and Michael Carter. While it’s early, Abanikanda is already carving out a potential role in the Jets’ offense next season.
Warren was selected in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, arriving just ahead of the man he used to block for in Pittsburgh, and he’s a solid candidate to earn a swing role in the offense going forward.
It’s unknown how heavily Whitehead, Abanikanda and Warren will be featured on this iteration of Hard Knocks, but there’s a good chance all three make appearances.
