Penn State OT Drew Shelton becomes 3rd Nittany Lion taken in 2026 NFL Draft
A second Penn State offensive lineman has been selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Offensive tackle Drew Shelton was chosen by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the draft, going No. 112 overall. He joins PSU teammate Vega Ioane, who was taken 14th overall in the first round by the Baltimore Ravens. Those two are among three Nittany Lions to go so far in the draft, alongside quarterback Drew Allar (Pittsburgh Steelers, 3rd round).
Shelton started 33 games at Penn State — five as a true freshman, one as a sophomore, 16 as a junior and 12 as a senior. He was a stalwart at left tackle for Penn State and was someone the team counted on to lock down the quarterback’s blind side. He does not necessarily have the strength of most tackles, but he has the athleticism to stay on the outside as long as he can continue to add power.
He was an All-Big Ten honorable mention selection in 2024 by both the coaches and the media and again in 2025 by the media.
Shelton was a member of the highly touted 2022 recruiting class that finished ranked No. 8 in the country, according to 247Sports. He was a four-star recruit and was one of several players to forego the 2025 NFL Draft and return for the 2025 season after the team was eliminated by Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinal.
He’s the third Penn State offensive tackle to be selected in the last three years of the draft, joining Caedan Wallace and Olu Fashanu, who went in the third and first rounds, respectively, in the 2024 NFL Draft.
