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Five players were named captains and five players remain suspended for Penn State in the week after spring practices concluded.
Center A.Q. Shipley and wide receiver Derrick Williams were named captains for the offense, while defensive end Josh Gaines and safety Anthony Scirrotto were selected on defense. Injured linebacker Sean Lee will also be an honorary captain for the Nittany Lions, as he will take a redshirt season to recover from a torn ACL.
All five players are seniors. Lee is the only player who will have eligibility for next season.
Meanwhile, Penn State released a statement on the five players who were suspended earlier in the offseason and still in limbo for 2008 -- Chris Baker, Navorro Bowman, Andrew Quarless, Phil Taylor and Knowledge Timmons.
"The five players that did not participate in spring practice are now permitted to work out with the team in the weight room and training facilities," the athletic department said. "Their playing status remains unchanged and will be reviewed after each of them resolves certain academic and/or legal issues."
Dan Connor was a third-round draft pick of Carolina and now his fellow captains from the 2007 season have latched onto NFL teams as well.
Quarterback Anthony Morelli has signed a free-agent deal with the Arizona Cardinals and wide receiver Terrell Golden has done the same with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Morelli will be reunited with his former left tackle Levi Brown, who was the fifth overall pick in the 2007 draft. The Cardinals have former Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart and former NFL MVP Kurt Warner at the top of the depth chart at quarterback.
Golden joins old teammate and fellow Virginia native Tony Hunt on the Eagles roster.
No deals have been formally announced yet for Penn Staters Rodney Kinlaw, Austin Scott and Matt Hahn. Scott was suspended from the team in October and never returned. Hahn tore an ACL the same month and missed the rest of the season.
Penn State opens up its 2008 season on Aug. 30 against Coastal Carolina in Beaver Stadium. Replacing Connor, Golden and Morelli as captains will be defensive end Josh Gaines, center A.Q. Shipley and injured linebacker Sean Lee.
Long wait ends for Lions linebacker, who goes 74th overall to the Carolina Panthers.
Former Penn Staters Dan Connor and Justin King both saw their stock fall in the NFL entry draft and will have to wait until Sunday.
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