For all the attention given to the Cowboys’ defense this offseason, offensive tackle may be as problematic as any single position. That’s why Drew Shelton became the first offensive player taken in Dallas’ 2026 draft class and is someone to watch in training camp.
Background
Years in NFL: 0
Acquired by: 2026 4th-round pick
Shelton’s coming off a four-year run at Penn State where he was a full-time starter at left tackle for the last two seasons. His junior year was the best for the Nittany Lions, going 13-3 and advancing to the CFP Semifinal. He was an honorable mention for All-Big Ten the last two seasons, and for the last three years was named to the Academic All-Big Ten team.
In the 2026 draft cycle, Shelton was one of the better athletes of the class, but a noted lack of play strength hurt his stock. He was generally seen as a mid-round prospect who’d need time to develop, and that’s exactly where Dallas took him as the 112th-overall pick. He was one of just two offensive picks this year, the other being WR Anthony Smith in the seventh round.
Contract Status
Years Left: 4
2026 Cap Hit: $1.18 million
Even if he never plays more than swing tackle, Shelton’s rookie contract would make him a bargain for an important backup role.
2026 Projections
Role: Backup OT
Roster Chance: 100%
Guaranteeing that Shelton makes the roster may seem a little rash, but it’s very rare for a fourth-rounder not to at least get one season with the team. You have to go all the way back to WR Skyler Green in 2006 for one who was simply cut as a rookie. A few have had bad luck with injuries or spent most of the year inactive, but it’s been 20 years since one didn’t make it past final cuts.
Expecting Shelton to walk in and challenge Tyler Gutyon or Terence Steele for a starting job is even more unlikely. That lack of play strength from his scouting report will take at least a year to mitigate. Shelton may be able to push Nate Thomas as the swing tackle, but even that will be a steep climb. Thomas is also a developing prospect and is supposedly competing with Guyton for the starting job.
Shelton was brought in with an eye to the future, not the present. This summer, he’s more of a threat to second-year prospect Ajani Cornelius than anyone above them. But a year in the lab could yield a solid contender in 2027, which may be important should Guyton not make progress in his third year. Watching Shelton in next month’s preseason games will be intriguing, though, to see just what sort of potential the Cowboys are working with.
Check out our previous player profiles from this series:
