A contingent of Nittany Lions are headed back to Indianapolis.
After participating in the 2024 Big Ten championship, nine former Penn State players are headed back to Lucas Oil Stadium, this time for the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine.
The group includes quarterback Drew Allar, running backs Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton, tight end Khalil Dinkins, offensive linemen Vega Ioane and Drew Shelton, defensive linemen Dani Dennis-Sutton and Zane Durant and safety Zakee Wheatley. Notable omissions include wide receivers Trebor Peña, Kyron Hudson and Devonte Ross and center Nick Dawkins.
Allar, a multi-year starter, sustained a broken ankle against Northwestern which sidelined him for the second half of the season. His final 2025 stats include 103-for-159 passing for 1,100 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions.
Allar finished No. 4 in program history in career passing yards, No. 3 in career passing touchdowns and No. 2 in career completion percentage.
Allen finished as the Nittany Lions’ all-time leading rusher with 4,180 yards across the last four seasons as a starter, including a career year with 210 carries for 1,303 yards and 15 touchdowns last fall.
Singleton’s stock dropped precipitously in his final season in blue and white, as he totaled just 123 carries for 549 yards with 13 touchdowns, while seeing his total snaps decrease throughout the year. Still, he finished his four-year career as the Penn State program record-holder for rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns.
Dinkins began the year as the full-time starter but was usurped by Andrew Rappleyea as the season wore on. He finished with 14 receptions for 167 yards and two touchdowns.
Ioane was arguably Penn State’s best offensive player this season, allowing no sacks and just four pressures on 298 passing plays.
To his left, Shelton had an up-and-down season but showed improvement down the stretch and allowed just one sack on 345 passing plays.
Dennis-Sutton started the year with a bang, totaling five tackles, two forced fumbles and a sack in the season opener, though his production dipped throughout the middle of the season. After six games without a sack, he recorded 6.5 in the final five games, proving himself as a potential first-round pick.
Durant returned for his senior season in 2025 but saw his production drop off, totaling just 25 tackles and four sacks. He struggled in run defense but did total 19 pressures on pass rush.
Wheatley was the backbone of the defense and earned a reputation as a vocal leader in his senior season. He finished the year with 74 tackles and an interception, a slight decrease in production from the previous season when he totaled 95 tackles and three picks. Still, he stands out on tape for his elite tackling and strong coverage skills, making him a potential Day 2 pick.
