Cowboys Confident In Hidden Draft Gem Drew Shelton's Chance For Success

The Dallas Cowboys have received high praise for the team's haul in the 2026 NFL Draft, with a heavy focus on improving the defense at every level. Dallas spent five of its seven picks on the defensive side of the ball, which has generated most of the attention.

Ohio State All-American Caleb Downs is the highlight of the rookie class, but another Big Ten standout could prove to be a major steal for the Cowboys.

In the fourth round, Dallas made its first pick on offense, adding Penn State Nittany Lions offensive tackle Drew Shelton. The 6-foot-5, 313-pound Shelton allowed just one sack on 342 pass blocks in 2025 and has two seasons as a full-time starter under his belt.

Because of his experience at an elite level, the Cowboys believe they may have landed one of the biggest steals in the draft and even had coaches campaigning to take him in Day 2.

Drew Shelton Comes With High Ceiling

Penn State Nittany Lions offensive lineman Drew Shelton against the Boise State Broncos during the Fiesta Bowl | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

NFL insider Jeremy Fowler shared some draft news and intel from around the league ahead of the start of rookie minicamp, revealing praise for Shelton from the Cowboys staff.

"Only so few humans can play tackle in the NFL, and he's one of them," a team source told Fowler while revealing "some inside Dallas' building were stumping hard" for Shelton on Day 2. Ultimately, he found his way to the Cowboys with the No. 112 overall pick.

In recent years, the Cowboys have found success with offensive lineman, selecting All-Pro Tyler Smith, Tyler Booker, and Cooper Beebe. Hopefully Shelton can develop into the next standout lineman for the Cowboys, and provide some much-needed depth at offensive tackle.

We will get our first look at how Shelton fits into the picture for the Cowboys in the trenches when the team kicks off rookie minicamp at The Star on Friday, May 1. The rookie minicamp will run until Sunday, May 3, before the team breaks until early June for the start of OTA offsesason workouts.

— Sign up for the Cowboys Daily Digest newsletter for more free coverage from Dallas Cowboys on SI —

Add us as a preferred source on Google