Drew Shelton
Dallas CowboysOur College Grade
How good he was in college at what his position is supposed to do, out of 100. Scored against everyone else at his position, adjusted for the level he played at. This is not his NFL grade.
College Production
PENN STATE · Big Ten
| Season | G | PrsA | SkA | HitA | Pen | PBE | Pos Rk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 96.8 | 158 |
| 2024 | 13 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 97.7 | 76 |
| 2025 | 12 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 97.2 | 125 |
The seasons in our college data. It does not always reach back to a player's first year.
Scouting Report
PENN STATE · 2026 draft class
Drew Shelton has emerged as one of the most intriguing developmental tackle prospects in the 2026 class after waiting patiently behind former first-rounder Olu Fashanu for multiple seasons at Penn State. The Pennsylvania native received an unexpected baptism by fire as a true freshman in 2022 when Fashanu went down with a leg injury, forcing Shelton into five starts against Big Ten competition that provided invaluable early exposure. After returning to a reserve role in 2023 while earning Academic All-Big Ten honors, Shelton finally claimed the starting left tackle job for 2024 and started all 16 games, anchoring an offensive line that produced 202.3 rushing yards per game while surrendering just 20 sacks across the entire season. His performance earned All-Big Ten honorable mention recognition and drew comparisons to Christian Darrisaw's final season at Virginia Tech from NFL scouts evaluating his blend of foot speed, flexibility, and lateral mobility. Shelton's decision to return for his senior season after Penn State's narrow Orange Bowl loss to Notre Dame demonstrates hunger to refine his game, particularly adding power to complement his elite athleticism.
Strengths
- Exceptional athleticism with elite foot speed
- flexibility
- and lateral mobility that allows him to mirror speed rushers and execute difficult movement-based blocks
- Thrives blocking on the move with comfort handling 1-on-1 assignments in pass protection
- rarely beaten by pure speed around the edge
- Penn State asks him to do a lot in the run game including nasty split assignments and blocking in motion
- showcasing versatility and football intelligence
- Accumulated valuable experience starting 5 games as true freshman in 2022 when Olu Fashanu injured
- providing earlier exposure to elite competition than typical prospects
- Swiss Army knife versatility demonstrated in 2023 season taking reps at every position except right guard
Concerns
- Play strength remains significan't concern at 6-5
- 305 pounds
- needs to add 10-15 pounds of functional strength to handle NFL power rushers
- Lacks some pop to his power in run blocking
- getting overwhelmed by stronger edge-setters who can break his extensions and force him into lurches
- Inconsistent hand placement and pad level technique allow defenders to gain leverage advantages
- must refine fundamentals to maximize physical gifts
- Limited impact as true run blocker between tackles
- struggles to generate consistent movement and displacement against defenders with equal or greater power
- Size at 305 pounds puts him in just 23rd percentile for weight among NFL offensive tackles
Honors
All-Big Ten Honorable Mention (2024); Academic All-Big Ten (2023); Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week vs Iowa (2023); Four-star recruit; Ranked #45 on NFL Draft Big Boards; Compared to Christian Darrisaw by NFL scouts