Which Penn State players are in ESPN's latest first round NFL mock draft?
Penn State football will have two first-round NFL Draft picks for the second year in a row in 2026 if longtime draft analyst Matt Miller’s initial mock draft that looks at the first 32 picks for next year’s pro selection process ends up being right. After Abdul Carter and Tyler Warren went on Thursday this past year, who could go on day one next spring?
The first Nittany Lion Miller has going off the board may surprise some. It’s cornerback AJ Harris. He sends the second-year Penn State defender to Washington at No. 25 overall.
“The Commanders traded for Marshon Lattimore last season and picked Trey Amos in Round 2 of the 2025 draft but still have a need at corner, especially when considering Lattimore’s age and injury history,” Miller writes. “At 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, Harris has the length Dan Quinn loves in his corners. Harris has shown ball-hawking skills and loves to press and jam receivers. He’s still a bit green, having started only one season, but last season’s tape — along with Penn State’s track record in developing defenders — makes
“Harris one of the most promising corners in the country.”
Miller did not have Harris on his list of the draft class’ top five cornerbacks back in June. But, his ESPN colleague, Jordan Reid, put the Penn State ballhawk at No. 1.
More: What are our top 4 Penn State football takeaways from June?
As for the other Nittany Lion Miller says will go in Round 1, it’s Drew Allar, unsurprisingly. He sends the senior passer, who will be in his third-year as the Penn State quarterback in 2025, to the Los Angeles Rams with the No. 27 overall selection.
Top 10
- 1New
Preseason CFB rankings
From No. 1 to 136
- 2Hot
SEC Football
ESPN ranks from top to bottom
- 3
Joey McGuire
Calls for series vs. LSU
- 4
Scott Frost
Fires shot at Nebraska
- 5Trending
Alabama chasing No. 1
Tide on recruiting roll
Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
“With Matthew Stafford entering his age-37 season, this would be a good spot for the Rams to pick his eventual successor,” Miller writes. “Allar is a big-armed quarterback with good mobility for his size (6-foot-5, 238 pounds), but he hasn’t quite put it all together. He has the arm to make any throw and can escape crowded pockets but goes through cold stretches where his decision-making and accuracy drop off. His development in 2024, in which he increased his completion percentage from 59.9% to 66.5%, is encouraging and suggests that more improvement is on the way.”
In the aforementioned position rankings from Miller and Reid, they put Allar Nos. 5 and 4, respectively, in their top five quarterback rankings. Miller calls the Ohio native the most difficult passer to rank in this year’s class.
“Every quarterback in this class is tough to rank, but Penn State’s passer is the toughest,” Miller writes. “He flashes brilliance with a big arm and good mobility for his 6-foot-5, 238-pound size, but his decision-making is very hit-or-miss, especially against top opponents. His ability to clean up mental mistakes will determine where his stock goes as a senior. Allar could be the top QB in the class … or slip to Day 3.”
