Previewing Drew Shelton's final season with the Nittany Lions

Yahoo

18-07-2025

Drew Shelton has a point to prove this year. As one of the longest-tenured Penn State O-linemen, he believes his work is not done. Not just with the group of five he's played with most of his career, or even the team. It's to most importantly better himself ahead of the NFL Draft as well as leave an indelible impact on the O-line as it retools without him. No matter what transpires this year for Shelton and Penn State, he will always be remembered as one of the best left tackles in school history. Here is how Drew Shelton can ride off into the sunset in 2025.
2024 in Review
The former four-star recruit had to work for his position title over his career with the Nittany Lions. Initially behind Olu Fashanu on the depth chart when he arrived on campus, he waited his turn until last year, when he officially cemented himself as the protector of Drew Allar's blindside. He started all 16 games with a 90% snap share and only allowed two sacks across 462 pass-blocking snaps. While certainly impressive, Shelton feels there is still work to be done in terms of improving his draft stock.
Shelton certainly has the ideal height and length to flourish at the NFL level and has stellar anchoring skills, he is still only seen as a early-to-late second round pick by scouts. His lighter frame could cause issues against much sharper NFL talent and his hand placement could improve. Thus, while 2024 was just a window into what Drew Shelton could be capable of, look for 2025 to finally open up new doors for Shelton and his potential.
Biggest Question of 2025
There is not much left to conquer for Drew Shelton in 2025 outside of a national title. Like much of Penn State's unsung heroes though, he feels he needs to improve his draft stock drastically enough to the point where he could go in the first round. The question is how much can he improve it by? Shelton certainly is one of the best if not the best individual O-linemen for Penn State. Nonetheless, he could be overshadowed by the fact that the unit is more of a collective than anything else. With top O-line talent like Utah's Spencer Fano and Miami's Francis Mauigoa, Shelton has to be the undisputed best O-linemen for Penn State for scouts to truly consider him at that level. If he can replicate a season like last year's, the sky's the limit for where Shelton could potentially end up going.
2025 will be a success if...
Shelton not only leads Penn State along the line and proves to be the ultimate tone-setter up front, but have it pay off with a first round selection in next year's draft. Chances are this will be the single toughest test in Drew Shelton's Penn State career: having a strong enough finish to where he can leave college content and enter the NFL primed and ready to go. In order to achieve first-round status, he must prove that he is willing to get stronger and more physical at the point of attack. He also must pay more attention to his technique as it still needs refinement. Most importantly, he must prove that he can do it for a championship caliber team. Penn State has some of the highest expectations in the country this year and as the left tackle, Drew Shelton will carry the weight of expectation with him more than anyone else. He has handled pressure throughout his entire college career. How he handles this kind specifically will help determine his success at the next level.
2025 will be a disappointment if...
Shelton simply doesn't show the willingness to improve his draft stock and regresses significantly. Out of all the O-linemen in the 2026 draft class, Shelton is the most variable in terms of where he could go. He has the traits necessary to be a late first rounder, but because he has garnered little buzz thus far amongst scouts, combined with certain issues he must fix this season, Shelton could also drop and maybe even precipitously if his season is not successful. Shelton needs to prove he is a winner in every sense of the word the moment the '25 season begins. Nothing more, nothing less. If not, his NFL dreams may start to unravel a bit as his name slips down draft boards. He is certainly capable of not allowing that to happen, but until we see it on the field, his work is not yet finished.
Realistic Outlook for 2025
Drew Shelton will almost certainly be at the forefront of Penn State's championship-caliber offensive capabilities. Combined with the returning talent in the backfield, supplemented by the tantalizing transfer receivers, gives this line one of the easiest jobs in college football. It's how easy guys like Shelton make it look however, that will help them more with their personal goals. Especially for someone like Shelton, who was forced to sit behind another great Penn State O-lineman to start his career, this year is pivotal for more than one reason. It's not just about leaving with a championship. Nor is it just about personal growth. It's about leaving his mark on Penn State's O-line so that younger generations can grow from his success. Drew Shelton needs to leave a foundation that someone like J'Ven Williams can protect and cement for his own career. That is way more important than anything else for Drew Shelton. He just has to take care of business as usual.
This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Previewing Drew Shelton's 2025 season