Penn State's eight draft picks moved them into an exclusive group of universities last weekend.
Penn State had eight draft picks in last weekend's 2026 NFL Draft, and when running back Nick Singleton was selected in the fifth round with pick No. 165, the Penn State program launched into very exclusive territory.
SIngleton was the sixth pick of the year's draft, and he was the 400th pick in Penn State program history.
Penn State became the seventh program in all of America to have 400 players drafted into the NFL. The group that Penn State joined includes Notre Dame (538), USC (533), Ohio State (503), Michigan (422), Oklahoma (419), and Alabama (418).
Later in the 2026 Draft, Georgia became the eighth program to reach 400 draftees, and they now sit right at 400 after having eight players selected in the most recent draft.
The very first draft pick ever dates back to 1940 when center Leon Gajecki was selected with the second pick in the 16th round by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Since the very first pick, they have had a player selected by every single modern-day franchise. They also had players drafted to the Dodgers, Yanks, and Houston Oilers.
There are interesting facts spread throughout the entire history of Penn State's draft lists, but one of the more fascinating ones is that it wasn't until 2020 that they had a player drafted to the Houston Texans.
They have had 37 players drafted to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers and 28 players drafted to the Philadelphia Eagles. Those are teams one and two in terms of volume for the former Nittany Lions.
Throughout history, they have had an astonishing 45 first-round picks, with the most recent being Vega Ione, while the first one came in 1956 when running back Lenny Moore was the ninth overall pick to the then Baltimore Colts.
Not only was Moore the first first-round draft pick, but he was also the first Hall of Fame player to go to school in Happy Valley.
There have been just two first overall picks. The first was in 1995 when running back Ki-Jana Carter was the first selection, and then in 2000 when the Cleveland Browns selected defensive end Courtney Brown first overall.
It is obvious to say that Penn State's program is as historic as it gets. 2026 marked another monumental accomplishment in the history of the program.
Penn State Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Penn State Nittany Lions. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.