A familiar sight at Penn State games this fall will be NFL scouts.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel mentioned as many as 11 players could be drafted.
If Penn State were to have double-digit selections in Pittsburgh, the site for the 2026 Draft, it would mark the sixth time in program history having double digit selections – 1974, 1975, 1982, 1996 each had 10 selections and the 1987 draft holds the distinction with the most having 13 Nittany Lions taken.
Here is our draft prospectus entering the 2025 season.
Round 1
Quarterback Drew Allar
EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton
Defensive Back A.J. Harris
Defensive Tackle: Zane Durant
The knock on Allar is his performances in big games. I feel that will be extinguished in 2025. If Allar can see his production improve to his much improved wide receivers, it is going to be a battle with Texas quarterback Arch Manning and Clemson’s Cade Klubnik for top quarterback selected.
The battle between Clemson and Penn State players on being top selected won’t be just at quarterback but at two other positions and both are a coin flip who is the best.
Interior defensive lineman you either see Durant or Peter Woods as rated as the best in the country. Early mocks lean heavily towards Woods but Clemson has started to move Woods out on the edge for situations. If Durant can once again lead the nation in tackles for loss and among the leaders at quarterback pressures it will make NFL GM’s think.
Penn State’s next best candidate to end its cornerback first round drought is Harris. Harris is seen as the top draft-ready cornerback in the 2026 NFL Draft but Clemson’s Avieon Terrell makes a compelling case. Brother of the Falcons A.J. Terrell, the comparisons are justified especially how Terrell combats with the intended receiver that led the FBS a season ago with 14 forced incompletions.
Even if Harris is not the top corner taken, he won’t escape the first round.
The NFL pipeline of elite EDGE from Penn State speak for themselves and Dennis-Sutton looks like the next in-line.
If Dennis-Sutton can continue the level of play he demonstrated throughout the College Football Playoff, that will be the difference of him being selected at the top or bottom of the first round.
Round 2
Offensive Linemen: Drew Shelton, Vega Ioane
Running Back: Nicholas Singleton
I feel both Shelton and Ioane are borderline first round picks. If they can keep Allar clean and help free Singleton and Kaytron Allen to 1,000 yard seasons many scouts are going to want to add that talent earlier than not.
I don’t feel either Shelton or Ioane will drop below the second round; each should be at worst a Top 50 pick.
With how the NFL has devalued the running back position, Singleton has first-round talent, but he has to show a combination of dominance and durability this season.
Much like Dennis-Sutton, if Singleton has Orange Bowl type of performances in the biggest moments he can be a disruptor and might be an end of the first round pick.
If Singleton gets banged up and isn’t dominant, the talent is there for teams to gamble with but I feel he will tumble into Round 3.
Round 3
Running Back: Kaytron Allen
Offensive Lineman: Nolan Rucci
Safety: Zakee Wheatley
I am being conservative with my third-round grades because each has ample opportunities to be selected higher if they continue momentum from the College Football Playoff.
There has been a swell of draft analysts that believe Allen is the better running back as Singleton.
Allen’s plus power is very attractive, if he possessed Derrick Henry-type speed to complement his power, we would be talking Round 1/Heisman favorite right now.
I have Allen in Round 3, like many other analysts, if Allen can demonstrate being a better pass receiver out of the backfield and develop a higher gear he may flirt with Round 2.
Rucci was the highest graded offensive lineman during the first round of the playoff against SMU and amongst the best throughout the entire playoffs.
If Rucci maintains status-quo, he is a likely Round 3 or 4 selection, but if he plays like he did during the College Football Playoff there is a lot to like about Rucci in the top half of Round 3.
Wheatley had his best game in the Orange Bowl against Notre Dame when he posted 16 tackles (third-most in a bowl/CFP in program history).
Wheatley is also buried in a conference that has an embarrassment of riches at safety whether you look at Caleb Downs (Ohio State), Dillon Thienemen (Oregon), Kamari Ramsey (USC), Koi Perich (Minnesota), Rod Moore (Michigan), and Xavier Nwankpa (Iowa).
Distinguishing himself may be difficult but Wheatley has the supporting cast to accentuate his game.
Some feel Wheatley has Round 2 potential.
I am comfortable, as of now, with Wheatley in Round 3 – I don’t feel he will fall any lower.
Transfer wide receiver Trebor Pena.
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Linebacker: Amare Campbell
Wide Receiver: Trebor Pena
Campbell might be my biggest reach, but I feel he will be to this squad what Kobe King was a season ago.
Being more in the spotlight will only spotlight the former North Carolina linebacker.
Pena may not be a physical marvel like his contemporaries, but if he has a repeat of his 2024 season, making a major impact at a glaring weakness from a season ago.
If Pena is among Big Ten receiving leaders, that will garner attention of his skills being able to translate in a tougher league and producing similar results.
Khalil Dinkins hauls in his first touchdown reception of the year.
Round 6
Tight End: Khalil Dinkins
Penn State has become a reliable tight end producer having a tight end selected in five of the previous eight drafts.
Dinkins physical attributes and freakish abilities being on Bruce Feldman’s annual Freaks List will make him a NFL Combine marvel.
More importantly, Dawkins assessment of Dinkins being the best at setting the edge will be coveted by the NFL and a Round 6 grade is a good ceiling for Dinkins.
Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now: Tony Rojas
Round 7
Wide Receiver: Devonte Ross
Linebacker: Tony Rojas
Rojas has a higher ceiling and easily could be selected earlier in Day 3 in Rounds 4 or 5 but he will need to provide durability.
Beyond health considerations, Rojas has to be better in leverage situations demonstrating power and not bouncing off ball carriers or being a grab and drag tackler.
Penn State landing Ross reminds me of Mitchell Tinsley, while Tinsley went undrafted I feel Ross is going to have those moments that a NFL franchise will spend a seventh round choice on the wide receiver.
On The Edge:
Wide Receiver: Kyron Hudson
Defensive End: Zuriah Fisher
Defensive Tackle: Alonzo Ford
Linebacker: Dom DeLuca
Hudson has the foundation to get selected, he will have to demonstrate and be a top red zone target.
While many of his former, much heralded, USC wide receivers suffered with drops issues, Hudson’s 2.7% drop rate is exceptional.
Fisher has all the skills to make it to the next level, but for him to have the opportunity he must be healthy to get that chance.
Being healthy again, if Ford replicates the same impact he had late in 2024 it will open an opportunity to be drafted late or be signed immediately after the draft concludes.
When I watch DeLuca and see how he approaches the game, practice, and being a teammate, he reminds me of former Oklahoma State and current Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez. DeLuca possesses exceptional intangibles, he just has to continue what he is doing to get that opportunity in the NFL.
