10 Penn State Nittany Lions receive NFL draft combine invites

Penn State had 13 players declare for the NFL draft, some forgoing their final year of eligibility and others just running out, but only 10 of those 13 players received invites to the NFL draft combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

The extended job interview will be held from Thursday, February 29 through Sunday, March 3. Michigan leads the Big Ten in combine invites with 18 players off the national championship roster heading to Indy, but Penn State’s 10 is two more than conference rival Ohio State. 

Six of the 10 Nittany Lions who will take part in the most important part of the pre-draft process were starters on Penn State’s No. 1 ranked defense from 2023. Chop Robinson is likely to be the highest-drafted player from that side of the ball with many mock drafts having him go in the first round. 

Kalen King, who also left Happy Valley after his junior season, came into the 2023 season as a projected first-round but is most likely to be selected on Day 2 unless he impresses at the combine. Veterans, Adisa Isaac and Johnny Dixon are currently projected as mid-round picks as well, and Daequan Hardy and Curtis Jacobs will likely be selected late on Day 3. 

On the other side of the ball, three of Penn State’s starting offensive linemen received invites. Olu Fashanu is a projected top-10 selection as well as Caedan Wallace and Hunter Nourzad who are both coming off strong performances at the East-West Shrine Bowl. 

Theo Johnson impressed at the Senior Bowl and if he tests well in Indianapolis, will continue to climb up draft boards. 

Trey Potts, Alek Felkins, and Keaton Ellis are the three Penn State players who declared for the 2024 draft and did not receive combine invites.