Who's Next? Penn State in the 2025 NFL Mock Drafts

Penn State's 2025 draft is difficult to gauge, but several Nittany Lions appear in early mocks.

Penn State linebacker Abdul Carter tackles Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins in the 2023 Peach Bowl in Atlanta. / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

NFL mock drafts are difficult to gauge accurately a week out much less a year ahead. Remember when Penn State cornerback Kalen King was modeled as a first-rounder after the 2022 season? King called the 2024 NFL Draft "nothing but a humbling experience" after going to Green Bay in the seventh round.

Penn State's 2025 NFL Draft possibilities are even more fluid because the 2022 recruiting class will be eligible. Among them: quarterback Drew Allar, running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen, defensive ends Abdul Carter and Dani Dennis-Sutton, safety KJ Winston and defensive tackle Zane Durant. All will be impact players for the Nittany Lions this season, but how many will enter the draft? And how will this season affect their outlook?

Still, the mocks are trickling out, and Penn State has some interesting candidates. One mock draft, for instance, includes a Penn State player at No. 3 overall. Another includes two in the first round. So let's scout the Nittany Lions for the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay.

RELATED: Takeaways from Penn State's 2024 NFL Draft

Defensive end Abdul Carter

The newly minted defensive end is the player trending highest on draft boards. Ric Serritella of All-Access Football mocks Carter at No. 3 overall, and 247Sports projects him at No. 4, establishing huge expectations for Carter's first season on the edge. Other drafts slot Carter a bit lower in the first round (No. 18 by Pro Football Focus, No. 22 by USA Today), but he's clearly the top early player on Penn State's draft board. As PFF noted, after not playing Micah Parsons as an edge rusher, the "Nittany Lions clearly weren't going to make the same mistake twice..."

Safety KJ Winston

Penn State's projected two-year starting safety already is a polished first-rounder in both body type and presence. Winston (6-2, 200 pounds) is the team's surest tackler and a valuable run-stopping safety. According to PFF, his run-stopping grade (90.6) was third among college safeties last season. Winston begins the year with first-round potential. PFF mocks him at No. 22 overall.

Penn State safety KJ Winston tackles Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins during the 2023 Peach Bowl. / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton

Penn State had two starting ends, Chop Robinson and Adisa Isaac, drafted this year. They'll likely repeat next year, with Dennis-Sutton a draft lock and potential high pick. USA Today projects the 265-pound Dennis-Sutton in the first round.

Quarterback Drew Allar

Ralph Russo of the Associated Press called his shot now: Allar to the New York Jets at No. 20 overall. Setting aside comparisons to Christian Hackenberg, another Penn State quarterback drafted by the Jets, this is a unique mock. Who knows what to expect from Allar in Penn State's new offense under coordinator Andy Kotelnicki? A big season gets him into the first round. Another year of checkdowns might prompt him to return in 2025.

Tight end Tyler Warren

In scouting Penn State tight end Theo Johnson, who went to the New York Giants in Round 5, NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah noticed another Penn State tight end.

"I will say off topic, tight end No. 44 for Penn State who came back to school, he is a really good player," Jeremiah said.

On an offense with a bunch of untested passing targets, Warren could be Allar's favorite number next season. He's big (6-6, 260), rangy and has great red-zone hands. In fact, Johnson predicted that Warren would be an All-American next season.

Penn State tight end Tyler Warren runs after a catch against Ole Miss in the 2023 Peach Bowl. / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The defensive tackles

Penn State is loaded with them. Two, Dvon Ellies and Hakeem Beamon, returned for sixth seasons. Durant was a 10-game starter who could bloom this season into an all-conference player. All three should find their way into the draft. Ellies is one player to watch for a big rise, and captain's role, next season.

The running backs

It's hard to imagine both Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen lasting four seasons in the Penn State backfield. However, one reason their coaches pitched the position share was limiting wear. Indeed, neither has reached 200 carries in a single season, so they should be fresh for the NFL. But it might be prudent for one to return in 2025 for a feature-back season, if feasible.

One more offensive lineman

Caedan Wallace turned his strong, and consistent, 2023 season into a third-round pick from the New England Patriots. Guard Sal Wormley could take a similar career arc, especially with a sturdy year. Wormley has the size (6-3, 325 pounds) to play on an NFL interior and was Big Ten honorable mention last season. If he's drafted, that would mark four picks from Penn State's 2023 line. Or the same number from Penn State's 1994 line, which remains the program's Big Ten gold standard up front.

More Penn State Draft News

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The NFL Draft was "nothing but a humbling experience" for Penn State's Kalen King

What the Kansas City Chiefs are getting in center Hunter Nourzad

AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich.