Post-NFL combine Penn State mock draft: Where every Nittany Lion will end up

Penn State sent nine players to last week’s NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, and a few found themselves hailed as the belle of the ball. Drew Allar is flying up draft boards after his fireworks show in the throwing session, Dani Dennis-Sutton put up freakish testing numbers that will have him on radars in for teams with early Day 2 picks, and Zane Durant was the fastest defensive tackle in the 40-yard dash. 

So, coming off the combine, let’s predict where all nine of these former Nittany Lions will end up when the NFL descends upon Pittsburgh this April for the 2026 NFL Draft. 

Vega Ioane, OG: 1st round, 17th pick, Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions rose to prominence in the NFL, not exclusively because of their offensive line, but in large part because of its dominance. Well, that group took a considerable step back in 2025, especially on the interior, and unsurprisingly, so did the team, missing the playoffs with a 9-8 record. 

Dan Campbell will, no doubt, be looking to reestablish his team’s trench-play superiority this offseason, and I can’t think of a better way than drafting Vega Ioane in the first round. Tate Ratledge is likely the long-term solution at right guard, so Ioane would slot in perfectly at left guard to boost the run game, and maybe more importantly, to protect Jared Goff, who, as one of the league’s last true pocket-passers, is uniquely sensitive to interior pressure. 

Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE: 3rd round, 66th overall pick, Tennessee Titans

Robert Saleh has already begun to transform the Tennessee defense to his wide-nine preferences, swapping T’Vondre Sweat for Jermaine Johnson, but the Titans won’t be done adding at EDGE. Dani Dennis-Sutton tested off the charts at the NFL Scouting Combine, and it’s hard to imagine Saleh and the Titans letting a player 4-3 defensive end like him slip by in the third round. 

Drew Allar, QB: 3rd round, 68th overall pick, Philadelphia Eagles

Drew Allar, even with 35 college starts on his resume, will be a project in the NFL. He has all the arm talent you’d want of a physical pocket-passer and enough movement skills to get by, but with his long legs at 6-foot-5, he struggles to maintain his accuracy while manuevering muddy pockets. Fixing that will be step 1 before attempting to infuse him with the downfield aggressiveness necessary to maximize his abilities. 

Philadelphia isn’t ready to move on from its Super Bowl MVP quarterback, but Jalen Hurts’s backup, Tanner McKee, is on the trade block entering the final year of his rookie contract. General manager Howie Roseman views his organization as a QB factory, so he’ll pounce on the opportunity to add a former five-star, as McKee was, to his stable. 

Zakee Wheatley, S: 3rd round, 85th overall pick, Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers desperately need more coverage bodies in the secondary for defensive coordinator Patrick Graham’s defense. Jalen Ramsey appears to be stuck at free safety after making the midseason transition from corner, but Wheatley would allow Graham to deploy Ramsey in more creative ways. Plus, Wheatley also has experience playing closer to the line of scrimmage and in three safety sets under Jim Knowles. 

Kaytron Allen, RB: 3rd round, 94th overall pick, Denver Broncos

Sean Payton loves a backfield tandem with complementary skillsets. Think Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara. He tried to replicate that with JK Dobbins and RJ Harvey last season, but Dobbins couldn’t stay healthy, and Harvey lacked the between-the-tackles ability to keep the run game afloat as the bellcow back. 

Enter Kaytron Allen. Penn State’s all-time leading rusher won’t blow teams away with his athleticism, and he didn’t run the 40-yard dash at the combine this past weekend, but he has great vision between the tackles to keep the chains moving and enough juice to get to the outside and break off explosive plays. He’ll be a perfect fit for Payton’s offense, and I’d expect him to be the first Penn State running back off the board over Nicholas Singleton. 

Zane Durant, DL: 3rd round, 97th overall pick, Minnesota Vikings

Zane Durant tested off the charts in Indianapolis, leading the way for defensive tackles with a 4.76 40-yard dash. However, as an undersized player at 6-foot-1, 290 pounds, he’ll need to prove he can hold up on early downs against double teams on the interior. In the meantime, Brian Flores is the type of creative defensive mind who will find ways to take advantage of his athleticism as a pass-rusher and gap-shooter who lives in the backfield. 

Drew Shelton, OT: 5th round, 144th overall pick, Cleveland Browns

Cleveland desperately needs to add talent on the offensive line. The Browns face an offseason with all five of last year’s starters entering free agency, but swung a trade with the Texans to add Tytus Howard. The veteran split time between right guard and right tackle last year, but whichever position he fills for Todd Monken, that still leaves for other spots. 

The Browns will likely be targeting an offensive tackle with one of their two first-round picks, but a little insurance wouldn’t hurt in the fifth round, and that’s what Shelton can provide, especially if Cleveland ends up with Francis Mauigoa or Spencer Fano, who both have arm length concerns that could kick them inside to guard in the NFL. 

Nicholas Singleton, RB: 5th round, 146th overall pick, Kansas City Chiefs

Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love has been commonly mocked to the Chiefs at No. 9 overall, but even if that happens, Kansas City shouldn’t be done adding explosiveness to the backfield. Singleton has massive upside as one of the most explosive and physical running backs in the class, but he also carries durability questions into the NFL after suffering a foot injury at the Senior Bowl that sidelined him for the Combine. 

Khalil Dinkins, TE, 6th round, 198th overall pick, Cincinnati Bengals

The NFL is pushing toward heavy personnel groupings, and that even includes the Cincinnati Bengals with the best wide receiver duo in the league and Joe Burrow, who loves to operate from the shotgun with static, spread formations. Mike Gesicki is under contract in Cincy for two more seasons, but Zac Taylor needs more depth to his tight end room to deploy 12 and 13 personnel groupings that force the defense into a bind.