The 2026 NFL Draft is less than a week away, and former Penn State Nittany Lions are anticipating the next step of their careers on the field. While many of their draft stocks sunk after the 2025 season, Adam Rittenberg of ESPN tabbed two players from Happy Valley as draft sleepers.
Rocco Becht’s confident quote proves he brings the attitude Penn State fans are dying for
Rittenberg called out two players on defense: defensive tackle Zane Durant and safety Zakee Wheatley.
Durant doesn't fit every team, meaning it's almost impossible for the wrong team to draft him. Per Rittenberg's Penn State source, he reported that the tackle's style of play limits him from being a hot commodity, but that the right system will see his value and take him.
Durant is the No. 147 overall prospect and No. 15 defensive tackle, per Scouts Inc. ranking.
"He consistently found his way into offensive backfields, recording multiple sacks and at least 4.5 tackles for loss in each of his three seasons as a starter. The 6-foot-1, 290-pound Durant ran the fastest 40-yard dash time (4.75 seconds) among defensive tackles at the combine, had the No. 4 vertical jump (33.5 inches) and the No. 5 broad jump (9 feet, 4 inches)," Rittenberg wrote.
"He's not physically imposing for an interior defensive lineman but can click in a defensive front that moves around its players, rather than play two-gap."
Rittenberg described Wheatley as a "ball hawk" over his five-year career as a Nittany Lion. His downside is his speed, but he has the physical prototype and magnetic energy with the ball. While Durant needs the right system on the field, Wheatley needs the right coaching that will develop him into a faster, stronger player down the line.
Wheatley is the No. 82 overall prospect and No. 7 safety, per Scouts Inc. ranking.
"Wheatley grew his profile during Penn State's run to the CFP semifinals after the 2024 season, contributing to three takeaways, recording a pass breakup in all three games and finishing with 26 tackles. His 16 tackles in the CFP semifinal against Notre Dame marked the most by a Penn State player in a postseason game since Lance Mehl posted 17 stops in the 1979 Sugar Bowl," Rittenberg wrote.
"He had a quieter senior season but still had an interception against Iowa and earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors. The 6-foot-3 Wheatley has good length and was 10th among safeties in broad jump (10 feet, 2 inches) at the combine."
Add us as a preferred source on Google