Ten Penn State players who could hear their name called in the 2026 NFL Draft
Five former Penn State players heard their name called across the three-day 2025 NFL Draft, with Abdul Carter, Tyler Warren, K.J. Winston, Jaylen Reed and Kobe King all off to the next level after getting selected.
Those five were impact players with the Nittany Lions, but next year’s draft class could go down as one of the best in program history.
Let’s take a look at the 10 Nittany Lions most likely to hear their names called during the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.
QB Drew Allar
Allar isn’t the only one with a chance to go in the top 10 of next year’s draft, but he does have the best chance. The Nittany Lion signal caller has all the traits teams look for in the next level when it comes to arm talent and mobility, it’s just a matter of becoming a more consistent player.
He’s going to have a chance to do that this season with plenty of big games to perform well in, thanks to a schedule that features, Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana and probably multiple College Football Playoff games. Allar has the most to gain of anyone on the team when it comes to draft stock — because he could be the No. 1 overall pick in 2026.
DE Dani Dennis-Sutton
Dennis-Sutton has the second-best chance to go in the top 10 of next year’s draft, in part because of the position he plays. He’s a pass rusher who gets after quarterbacks at an elite level. He took a back seat to Carter in 2024 but this year he’s going to be the team’s best player off the edge and should produce like one of the best in the country at defensive end.
Assuming Dennis-Sutton builds off a playoff run that saw him rack up 4.5 sacks, a forced fumble and an interception, he should hear his name called very early next year.
LT Drew Shelton
Shelton is among a group of players who could all go in the top 50 of next year’s draft. He’s a reliable left tackle for Penn State with good mobility and the athleticism teams look for in a left tackle. He’s been one of Penn State’s best offensive linemen and has been a very effective pass protector.
His draft upside will depend on how much potential teams believe he has. If his athletic testing next offseason is encouraging, his stock will only increase in the lead-up to the 2026 draft.
DT Zane Durant
There are few more interesting draft prospects for Penn State than Durant. The defensive tackle is slightly undersized at 6-foot-1, 292 pounds, but makes up for it with elite athleticism and strength. He’s likely to be one of the most disruptive defensive tackles in the country this season when it comes to getting after quarterbacks, and he should be a game wrecker for the Nittany Lions.
He’ll likely be fighting an uphill battle because of his size, but Durant has the ability — and will most likely have the production — to go relatively early in the draft.
CB A.J. Harris
Penn State had an elite defense in 2024 for several reasons, but one that flew under the radar is the performance of Harris at corner. He’s a true No. 1 corner who can limit some of the best wide receivers in the country. He’s a physical and intelligent player with good athleticism who can stick to the hip of most opponents he’ll face.
There’s a chance he’s the best corner in the country this year on the best defense in the country and that should help his draft stock long before he has a chance to grow it even more following the year. He could return to Penn State for 2026, but the guess here is that he’s well-positioned to leave next offseason.
RB Nick Singleton
The only reason Singleton isn’t a probable first-round pick is because it’s harder for running backs to go that high. Only two went in the first round of the 2025 draft, but Singleton has the ability to get there next year. Not to mention, he’ll have the added benefit of not having a massive carry share when he leaves Penn State because he’s shared the backfield his entire career.
There might not be a better performer at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine than Singleton, who is a height-weight-speed monster who should be at the top of his class in nearly every athletic category.
RB Kaytron Allen
Allen will receive the same benefit as Singleton — sharing the backfield with another elite back and not having to have as much wear and tear as most high level running backs. Unlike Singleton, he won’t necessarily be a combine star, but Allen has all of the tools to be a starting NFL running back for a long time.
He’s a powerful runner who brings value in the passing game as a blocker and as a receiver, giving him the ability to play on all three downs at the next level. The first round might not be in the cards for Allen, but he could be a top 100 player next year.
RT Anthony Donkoh
Donkoh might be a surprise as a redshirt sophomore, but he’s eventually going to be a top-50 pick in the draft, and it could happen as soon as next year. He’s only heading into his second full season at tackle in college after primarily playing guard his first year on campus, and he’s proven to be a wall in pass protection with the size and power to potentially be a mauler in the running game.
He’s more likely than not going to end up in the 2027 draft or later, but he’ll have options after next season and it wouldn’t be a total shock if he leaves after three years on campus.
G Vega Ioane
Ioane might not have the same draft upside as others on this list — mostly due to positional value and guards going lower in the draft than tackles — but he should still be a player that hears his name called. He has elite strength and is an excellent mover despite being 6-foot-4, 334 pounds. He’s a mauler in the running game who continues to improve in pass protection as well.
A breakout campaign is possible, but he — like Donkoh — is a candidate to potentially return for 2026 if his stock isn’t where he wants it to be after this coming season.
S Zakee Wheatley
Wheatley chose to come back for 2025 and should benefit as the best safety on the roster this season. He has excellent instincts that show up in the passing game and as a run defender, with the athleticism to get wherever he needs to on the field. The former cornerback is in for a breakout season on the national level.
Safeties don’t usually go early in the draft, but if Wheatley keeps improving his could go in the first two days of next year’s draft.
