ESPN analysts Mel Kiper Jr., Matt Miller, Steve Muench, Jordan Reid, and Field Yates ranked the 2026 NFL Draft prospects by position. While Penn State football wasn't represented in the Top 10 overall ranking, Nittany Lions were scattered around the top five in their respective position groups.
9 Nittany Lions earn invites to NFL Scouting Combine hoping to kickstart pro careers
Here where Penn State players showed up:
ESPN analysts believe Drew Allar is a Top 5 QB
Despite the abbreviated senior season, broken ankle and season-ending injury, and lack of NFL star quality quarterback Drew Allar showed throughout his four-year career wearing the blue and white, there aren't too many quarterbacks to go around in this draft.
Kiper and Yates ranked Allar the highest as the third best quarterback in the draft behind Indiana's Fernando Mendoza (unanimous No. 1) and Alabama's Ty Simpson (unanimous No. 2). Miller ranked Allar fourth behind LSU's Garrett Nussmeier. Muench and Reid put him fifth. Muench put Miami's Carson Beck at third and Nussmeier fourth while Reid flipped those two ahead of Allar.
ESPN analysts are split on whether Kaytron Allen or Nicholas Singleton is the better RB
The 2025 season was nearly detrimentally to running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton, though Allen prevailed and found an opportunity to stand out positively. Still, though, it wasn't enough to earn him a consistent top five spot. Allen only slipped into Miller's ranking at No. 4.
As for Singleton, he surprisingly surged to No. 2 on Muench's ranking behind Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love (unanimous No. 1). The Nittany Lion also made Yates' top five, coming in at No. 4.
ESPN analysts unanimously agree that Olaivavega Ioane is the No. 1 guard
Offensive guard Olaivavega Ioane is the consensus first round pick for Penn State in the 2026 NFL Draft, and that didn't slip the analysts' minds when ranking their top five guards. Not shocking whatsoever, Ioane was the unanimous No. 1 guard while the remaining four spots were up for debate list-to-list.
ESPN analysts throw Zakee Wheatley his flowers, but disregard rest of Penn State's defensemen
Penn State's defense was practically absent from the position-based rankings. To be fair, only three Nittany Lions attending the NFL Scouting Combine are on defense: defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton, defensive tackle Zane Durant, and safety Zakee Wheatley.
Out of this trio, only Wheatley is considered a top five prospect at his Position, according to the analysts. Miller, Muench, and Reid ranked him at the bottom of their lists. Muench and Reid had Wheatley fifth and Miller bumped him up to No. 4.