Despite a tremendously disappointing 2025 season, Penn State football enters the 2026 NFL Draft with a smattering of seniors ready to move on and start their NFL careers later this month.<\/p>\n
As we get closer to the draft, certain publications begin expanding their mock drafts past the first round to show some love to the several hundred prospects who will hear their names called in Pittsburgh in just over a week. As many as nine Nittany Lions are projected to be selected, so where could their future homes be?<\/p>\n
Vega Ioane<\/p>\n
Titans, No. 4 overall \u2013 Rob Rang (FOX Sports): Does this count as a mock draft? FOX Sports\u2019 most recent \u201cmock\u201d<\/a> pairs teams up with their biggest needs, and the Tennessee Titans just so happen to need some help at guard, which is where Ioane comes in. Rob Rang acknowledged it as a reach, but said that protecting Cam Ward at all costs should be their biggest priority in the draft.<\/p>\n Ravens, No. 14 overall \u2013 Bradley Locker (PFF): In the latest Pro Football Focus mock draft,<\/a> Ioane falls into the lap of the Baltimore Ravens as the first draft pick in the Jesse Minter era. As the team transitions from nearly two decades with John Harbaugh leading the way, the consensus No. 1 interior offensive lineman in the draft would be a fine addition to the trenches to protect Lamar Jackson.<\/p>\n Buccaneers, No. 15 overall \u2013 Mike Renner (CBS Sports): Tampa Bay had a disappointing 2025 season and could be looking to improve upon a middle-of-the-pack offensive line. In picking Ioane, Mike Renner notes<\/a> that he would likely line up next to All-Pro tackle Tristan Wirfs to create one of the best left-sides in the league to protect Baker Mayfield.<\/p>\n Jets, No. 16 \u2013 Nate Tice (Yahoo Sports): How about a reunion? Nate Tice has Ioane falling<\/a> to No. 16, where he\u2019ll reunite with fellow All-American and first-round lineman Olu Fashanu. With the Jets losing a pair of guards in free agency, there\u2019s room for Ioane to improve a unit that\u2019s already found promising pieces at both tackles, and in a draft class without a second notable quarterback, building the trenches first never hurts.<\/p>\n Lions, No. 17 \u2013 Peter Schrager (ESPN): Detroit has parted ways with several veteran offensive linemen since their season ended abruptly with no postseason, so Peter Schrager suggests<\/a> pairing head coach Dan Campbell with a player that he says is the most \u201cDan Campbell\u201d player in this draft.<\/p>\n Steelers, No. 21 \u2013 Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz (USA Today): For a player with the level of talent that Ioane possesses, falling out of the top 20 seems hard to believe, but that\u2019s where USA Today<\/a> thinks that positional value will drag the consensus No. 1 guard down. At least if this happens, he\u2019ll stay in Pennsylvania?<\/p>\n Dani Dennis-Sutton<\/p>\n Dolphins, No. 43 overall \u2013 Nick Baumgardner (The Athletic): A strong 2025 season could\u2019ve seen Dennis-Sutton move into Day 1 territory, but most mock drafts have seemed to settle on him being picked at some point on Day 2, likely in the second round. Nick Baumgardner is the most optimistic of the bunch, predicting Dennis-Sutton joins former Penn State edge rusher Chop Robinson to harass AFC East quarterbacks for years to come.<\/p>\n Lions, No. 50 overall \u2013 Mike Renner (CBS Sports): At one point, the biggest issue for the Lions was their defense, but an infusion of talent into that side of the ball promised to balance the scales in 2025 until a massive injury bug decimated that rebuilt defense and led to them missing the playoffs. This is a place that Dennis-Sutton could especially thrive, as Aidan Hutchinson will draw a lot of attention on the defensive line and give the Delaware native a role similar to the one he played next to Abdul Carter in his breakout 2024 season.<\/p>\n Texans, No. 59 overall \u2013 Chad Reuter (NFL.com): In a five-round mock published in early April, Chad Reuter<\/a> has Dennis-Sutton as the only other Nittany Lion aside from Ioane to be picked in the first two rounds. He likely wouldn\u2019t start in Houston with Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter in tow, but with Hunter turning 32 in October, it may not be long.<\/p>\n Raiders, No. 67 overall \u2013 Cody Williams (FanSided): Just as in the NFL.com mock, Dennis-Sutton is the second Nittany Lion off the board in FanSided\u2019s latest three-round mock draft<\/a>, swapping out his blue and white for silver and black. With Maxx Crosby\u2019s status in question with his medicals and desire to be traded, Dennis-Sutton could be a needed talent infusion for that defense.<\/p>\n 49ers, No. 92 overall \u2013 Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News): There\u2019s a lot of talent throughout the roster of the San Francisco 49ers, but the team routinely deals with massive injuries up and down the roster, meaning an opportunity could open up at some point for a talented player like Dennis-Sutton.<\/p>\n Cowboys, No. 112 overall \u2013 Matt Miller (ESPN): The only one of these mocks to have Dennis-Sutton falling to the fourth round, Matt Miller has him going to the Dallas Cowboys to, at least, partially fill the gaping hole left by the Micah Parsons trade. The Cowboys had one of the worst defenses in football last year and need someone who can get after the quarterback. It would be a steal if he fell here.<\/p>\n Zane Durant<\/p>\n Texans, No. 69 overall \u2013 Mike Renner (CBS Sports): Durant\u2019s projections are all over the place, but one of CBS Sports\u2019 recent mock drafts believes he could go very early in the third round to the Texans. On a defensive line with several tremendous pass rushers, adding an athletic run-stuffer like Durant could add to an already ferocious defense.<\/p>\n Raiders, No. 134 overall \u2013 Josh Edwards (CBS Sports): Most mock drafts have Durant landing in the fourth or fifth rounds, and Josh Edwards believes he\u2019ll go late in the fourth round to the Raiders. After a bleak 2025 season, they could definitely use some help on the interior defensive line.<\/p>\n Eagles, No. 137 overall \u2013 Chad Reuter (NFL.com): Durant may be from Florida, but Reuter has him staying home in Pennsylvania by sending him to the Eagles. Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter already make up a formidable interior defensive line, but Durant could add another athletic freak into the mix for defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.<\/p>\n Saints, No. 172 overall \u2013 Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News): New Orleans has a rather sparse depth chart on its defensive line and could use adding someone like Durant in the draft. A late fifth-round pick might not be someone you expect to start right away, but this is the type of place that he\u2019d have an opportunity to compete.<\/p>\n Bengals, No. 226 overall \u2013 Matt Miller (ESPN): Durant didn\u2019t have the strongest 2025 season after choosing to \u201crun it back\u201d with his teammates, so some mock drafts have him sliding as far as the seventh round. While his tremendous traits figure to give him a low enough floor that he shouldn\u2019t fall this far, he\u2019d be an asset to whoever selects him if he did, especially a Cincinnati Bengals team with longstanding defensive issues.<\/p>\n Drew Allar<\/p>\n Rams, No. 61 overall \u2013 Matt Miller (ESPN): As someone who wants the best for Allar\u2019s NFL career, given the relative obscurity of Penn State quarterbacks in the pros, this is the best possible landing spot. The Rams will have to eventually replace 2025 NFL MVP Matthew Stafford, who, despite his stellar performance, is 39 years old. Bringing in Allar to be mentored by Stafford and molded by offensive guru Sean McVay is a dream spot for him to be a successful quarterback.<\/p>\n Cardinals, No. 104 overall \u2013 Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News): The Kyler Murray era ended with a whimper in Arizona, as the former No. 1 overall pick was released in March after seven seasons. Veterans Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew II are currently entrenched as the stopgap options for 2026, but they may choose to add a rookie into the mix with their early fourth-round pick.<\/p>\n Browns, No. 107 overall \u2013 Chris Easterling (Akron Beacon Journal): There\u2019s something poetic about a kid going to his childhood team, but that\u2019s what could happen<\/a> if the Cleveland Browns take another swing at a quarterback in 2026. With a complicated QB room that comprises Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders, and Deshaun Watson, there\u2019d be ample room for Allar to come in and impress new head coach Todd Monken and get to live out his dreams<\/a> in his home state.<\/p>\n