Cowboys' Instant 2026 Draft Grade For Drew Shelton Pick

The Dallas Cowboys were 100 percent focused on defense during the first two nights of the 2026 NFL draft.

In Round 1, they took safety Caleb Downs out of Ohio State at No. 11 overall. Later in that same round, they added EDGE Malachi Lawrence out of UCF. On Friday, they made one pick, adding Jaishawn Barham, who is a hybrid linebacker/EDGE out of Michigan.

To kick off Round 4, they finally looked to the offensive side of the ball. With the 112th selection, which was their first of three picks in this round, the Cowboys selected Penn State offensive tackle Drew Shelton.

Instant Grade for Drew Shelton selection: B-

Penn State Nittany Lions offensive lineman Drew Shelton (66) against the Boise State Broncos. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Shelton isn't a flashy pick, but as we've seen in the past, the Cowboys are pretty good when it comes to selecting offensive linemen. Shelton looks the part at 6-foot-5 and 313 pounds and played against elite talent at Penn State.

PFF gave him an overall grade of 70.6, which included a 71.2 in pass protection and 66.4 in run blocking. What's most impressive is that he had 359 pass protection snaps and allowed 18 pressures but zero sacks.

That said, the grade gets a B- since it might have been a little early for Shelton. Of course, offensive tackle is an underrated need, so no one will consider it a reach if he turns into a swing tackle who eventually pushes for a starting job.

What do the scouts say about Drew Shelton?

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

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com sees plenty of potential in the former basketball player. He moves with excellent agility for such a big man, but Zierlein says he needs to improve his strength and body control to become a consistent starter at the next level.

"Athletic left tackle prospect with two seasons as a full-time starter at Penn State. His basketball background shows up with natural fluidity as a move blocker and in meeting edge rushers with his pass slides," Zierlein wrote.

"However, Shelton’s lack of play strength makes it tougher for him to sustain blocks at the point of attack and hold a firm anchor when taking on bully pass rushers. His athleticism and ability to get to any angle necessary in the run game makes him a fit for teams favoring outside zone. However, he’s likely to struggle with consistency unless he gets stronger and plays with better body control."

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