Penn State NFL Draft Watch: Who Made Money in the Season's First Half?

Several Nittany Lions improved their 2025 NFL Draft status during a 6-0 start to the season.

Penn State tight end Tyler Warren runs with the ball during the first quarter against the Bowling Green Falcons at Beaver Stadium. / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Penn State entered the 2024 season with a deep and talented group of upperclassmen, headlined by its 2022 recruiting class that included quarterback Drew Allar, defensive end Abdul Carter and running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen.

After eight Nittany Lions were selected in the 2024 NFL Draft, Penn State could have a shot to break that mark in 2025 depending on who chooses to leave. Penn State coach James Franklin’s squad came into Week 1 with known NFL talent and several have boosted their potential draft stock more than others.

Moving up

No Nittany Lion has turned scouts’ heads more this season than tight end Tyler Warren did against USC. Finishing with 17 receptions, 224 receiving yards, a touchdown and a full display of his versatile skill set, Warren, who returned for a fourth season, shined bright in one of Penn State’s most high-profile matchups of the season.

Franklin has been calling Warren “the most complete tight end” in college football for weeks, and Warren already was on draft boards. But he's generating even more attention for his versatility. Dane Brugler, NFL Draft Analyst for The Athletic, recently called Warren the No. 1 senior tight end prospect. Although he could have some competition from Michigan’s Colston Loveland as the first overall tight end drafted, Warren certainly will be an early round choice by showcasing his athleticism in various roles.

Elsewhere in Penn State’s offense, Singleton and Allen have remained a dominant one-two punch. Both have been able to preserve their legs for the future by splitting time in the backfield, keeping them fresh for when each gets drafted.

Based on the NFL Mock Draft Database, which compiles various outlets’ mocks into averaged player rankings, Singleton is projected to be the higher selection over Allen, currently the 109th overall player. Allen ranks 281st, but it remains to be seen if either will choose to play their senior seasons in 2025. With a combined 857 rushing yards in six games, both have the potential to be mid-round choices after leading one of college football’s top ground attacks.

Also on the NFL Mock Draft Database, senior safety Jaylen Reed’s stock has been soaring in recent weeks. Reed has filled the void left by an injury to KJ Winston and now leads Penn State in tackles (39) and has made some critical plays along the way, like his fourth-quarter interception against USC. As he’s stepped into that bigger role, Reed arguably has been the Nittany Lions’ biggest riser as an NFL prospect through six games.

Finally, Allar could be the most intriguing prospect of Penn State’s potential 2025 bunch. Allar flashed his arm talent and precise passing last season, but Allar took significant individual leaps in the first half this year. With improved mobility and an aggressive side he hadn’t shown much before, Allar has been one of the country’s most efficient and effective quarterbacks.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. currently has Allar as the No. 6 quarterback on his 2025 NFL Draft Big Board. Like Singleton and Allen, Penn State’s quarterback could choose to play one more college season, but Allar has displayed enough clear improvements between his sophomore and junior years to be among the top quarterbacks selected in April. 

.@AP Midseason All-Americans

▫️@JaylenReed03
▫️#TylerWarren pic.twitter.com/mY92JW7vb2

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) October 18, 2024

RELATED: What we learned about Penn State during its 6-0 start

Injured or playing to expectations

Winston has been held out of action since Week 2 with a “long-term” injury. After leading the team in tackles as a sophomore in 2023, Winston entered this season as one of the nation’s top safety prospects. However, without the opportunity to prove himself on the field much, his draft stock has likely taken a small hit.

Winston still had 12 tackles in Week 1 and certainly has the playmaking skills to still hear his name called early in the draft. If he’s able to return later this season, that would give scouts another chance to assess his play and feel safer taking him as a first-round pick like he was originally projected to be entering 2024.

On the defensive line, the duo of Abdul Carter and Dani Dennis-Sutton came into Week 1 as two of the better pass-rush prospects in the country. Both have the instincts and frame to be disruptive NFL players, with Carter still a likely first-round pick. However, the Nittany Lions’ defensive line as a whole hasn’t had many opportunities to turn pressure into sacks: Carter leads the team with four and Dennis-Sutton has two. 

The first half of Penn State’s season hasn’t offered the best chance to judge Carter and Dennis-Sutton, especially considering Carter’s been playing his first six games away from linebacker. Even if Carter isn’t the top-5 draft selection he earned preseason buzz to be, he should be a first-round selection no matter what. Dennis-Sutton’s stock might have slipped for the time being as well, but in reality, both defensive linemen have remained impactful without huge sack totals.

RELATED: Penn State's andy Kotelnicki finds a muse in Tyler Warren

On the radar

Several Nittany Lions have played themselves into those conversations, senior Nick Dawkins among them. Penn State’s offensive line has allowed just six sacks, and Dawkins, who waited for four seasons for his starting opportunity, is a leader for both the line and the entire team. He doesn’t quite have the huge NFL size (6-4, 298 pounds), but Dawkins’ performance and leadership could earn him looks from NFL teams. 

Two Nittany Lions’ defensive players, Zane Durant and Kobe King, have played themselves into draft conversations as well. Durant ranks second on the team in sacks (2.5) and has emerged as a third pass-rush weapon for defensive coordinator Tom Allen. The junior’s athleticism and burst off the snap are the kinds of intangibles that could make him a selection in April. King, meanwhile, has stepped up in a linebacker room that needed it, posting 30 tackles and a sack in his junior season so far.

Other Penn State players with a shot at being drafted in April include offensive lineman Sal Wormley, receiver Julian Fleming and defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas. However, a lot will depend on which of Penn State’s juniors opt for the draft. There’s a chance Franklin loses a lot of talent to the NFL this spring, but for now, his Nittany Lions will be continuing their 2024 playoff push into the second half.

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Daniel Mader, a May 2024 graduate of Penn State, is an Editorial Intern with The Sporting News. As a student journalist with The Daily Collegian, he served as a sports editor and covered Nittany Lions women’s basketball, men’s volleyball and more. He has also covered Penn State football for NBC Sports and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, with additional work in the Centre Daily Times, Lancaster Online and more. Follow him on X @DanielMader_    or Instagram @dmadersports.