12/22/23

SCRANTON, Pa. -- As we approach the end of 2023, Lackawanna College Athletics is reflecting on the top moments from the 2023 athletics calendar, and revealing them one day at a time between now and the new year! 

Today's top event comes to us from some stellar achievements in the spring and summer from two standout Lackawanna products. 

#10: Kyle Scott and Ji'Ayir Brown Drafted
For the second straight season, Lackawanna College football was well-represented at the NFL Draft in April. Then, in July, Lackawanna baseball burst onto the scene with its own draft pick in Major League Baseball. 

In April of 2023, the NFL Draft was held in Kansas City, MO., as the 32 teams in the National Football League wheeled and dealed over three days over which potential prospects they wanted to draft to their respective teams. Just the year before, Former Falcons football standout Jaquan Brisker was chosen by the Chicago Bears in the second round as the 48th overall pick. Brisker, who helped lead Lackawanna to its last undefeated season in 2018, was an outstanding safety in his time with the Falcons, and went on to a stellar career at Penn State University, where he played with a former Lackawanna teammate in the secondary, Ji'Ayir Brown, who came one year after Brisker's arrival in State College. 

Fast forward to the 2023 edition of the Draft, and it was Brown's turn. J'Ayir, who helped lead Lackawanna to the national championship game in 2019, also had an outstanding career at Penn State, and was chosen in the third round with the 87th overall pick when the San Francisco 49ers chose the young safety, giving Lackawanna two straight years with a draft pick in the first three rounds. 

Both "Brisk" and "Tig" have settled into their respective roles. Brisker emerged as the starter in the secondary for Chicago right away, recording over 100 combined tackles in 15 games last season. Pro Football Focus named him to its 2022 All-Rookie team last year, and he was named the Bears' top rookie from last season. Brisker has started every game this year for the rising Bears, as Chicago tries to move up the ladder in the NFC North. 

Meanwhile, Brown has earned a starting role with the 49ers after spending the first ten games coming off the bench. An injury forced Brown into the lineup, and he has excelled for the Niners, the current top-seed in the NFC and odds-on favorites to reach the Super Bowl. 

Brown's draft was certainly exciting for Lackawanna College fans, but it wasn't the only professional draft where Lackawanna made noise last year. In mid-July, MLB held its annual draft. While there is less hubbub and certainly a ton more rounds, the MLB draft is usually a good indicator of talent and what to expect in the future for the top level of baseball. Lackawanna pitcher Kyle Scott was chosen in the 15th round by the Cleveland Guardians. It was the first Falcon taken in the MLB draft since Jared Solomon was chosen in the 11th round by the Cincinnati Reds back in 2017. Scott had just finished a three-year career with Lackawanna where he was 18-5 with 279 strikeouts. He had gone 8-2 with 109 K's and a 3.59 ERA this past year, which saw Lackawanna break the 40-wins mark and win a pair of games at the NJCAA Division II World Series.

Kyle was signed by the Guardians eleven days after the draft, and assigned to their minor league squad, the Arizona Complex League (ACL) Guardians in Goodyear, Arizona. Scott made three appearances and struck out five in 3.2 innings pitched, with a 2.45 ERA. 

Top 14 Moments Of 2023 For Lackawanna College Athletics  
14) Lackawanna Softball and Ally Lemerise's Big Week
13) Paserk, Riddick, and Rush Highlight All-Academic Selections
12) Colonel Volk Day At Football Homecoming
11) Lackawanna Esports Raises $12K For Charity
10) Kyle Scott and Ji'Ayir Brown Drafted
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