After several weeks of questioning whether Dan Connor would declare for the NFL Draft, he finally put the issue to rest after declaring he's staying put.

And, for Penn State, that might be the most important move during the offseason.

Forget the four- and five-star recruits, keeping Connor for the next season is paramount to the Nittany Lions' success. Penn State can deal with one graduated linebacker, even if it is Paul Posluszny, with talent like Dontey Brown, Tyrell Sales and Jerome Hayes -- three linebackers who would probably be starting for any other team in the Big Ten.

But losing Connor, who was projected as a late first day pick? That would've put the run defense at a huge disadvantage. Could you imagine a defense that, sans the secondary, would only return a Josh Gaines and a Sean Lee?

It might not be a disaster, but it would have to be close -- even with Tom Bradley handling the defense.

As it is, Nittany Nation can chuck those sleeping pills. Those restless nights should be gone after Connor announced last Friday that he's staying one more season because, "This team is very close to getting some things done, and I want to help make it happen."

Connor never said the words "national championship." But teammates Anthony Morelli and Derrick Williams did right after the Outback Bowl. And, it's difficult to believe that Connor would've thought the team was "close" without a victory over then-No. 17 Tennessee.

So, maybe that bowl victory was important for another reason: It gave the team confidence and helped persuade Connor in the process.

"Maybe" doesn't sound like a certainty, and it's not. But Connor's staying was all about those "maybes." Connor said before he'd seriously consider declaring for the Draft if he was projected to go in the first or second rounds.

The NFL Draft is far from a sure thing. Connor submitted a form for a draft evaluation, and while the results he received are unknown, former NFL Scout Dan Shonka told The Daily Collegian how it could've gone.

Shonka, who oversees the NFL Scouting Service Ourlads.com, was a NFL scout for 16 years. And he believed if Connor would've declared, he would probably go somewhere between the second and third rounds.

"I'm not so sure at times he's not the best linebacker on the team," Shonka said.

Regardless, that's still some big, NFL money Connor turned down. But in college, there's a Bednarik Award to win, a Posluszny tackle record to break (98 away) and a BCS Bowl to make.

"You're only a college senior once," he said in a press release. "I'm looking forward to next season."

And, now, so are the fans.