In his first season at Penn State, Downingtown High product Drew Shelton is ‘just having fun’

PASADENA, Calif. — Drew Shelton wasn’t supposed to be here.

Well, here with Penn State ahead of its appearance Monday in the Rose Bowl, yes, but the 6-foot-5 offensive lineman wasn’t supposed to be playing the role he’s playing now.

The freshman was tabbed for big things coming out of Downingtown West High, with the heightened expectations that come with being a four-star recruit. However, the plan was always for Shelton to redshirt during his first year at Penn State. Instead, he has started the last four games at left tackle for the Nittany Lions, burning his redshirt, and he will likely start his fifth on Monday in the Rose Bowl.

Through all this, Shelton has kept the same mentality. He isn’t fazed by the big stage.

“It’s really believing in yourself, I guess,” Shelton said. “Believing in myself, knowing what I can do, going out there, just having fun, really. [I’m] not trying to get too caught up in all that, just having fun playing ball with my friends.”

That mentality stems from his time at Downingtown West. Shelton played three years with the Whippets, transferring to IMG Academy in Florida for his junior year before returning to Pennsylvania as a senior.

“It all comes back to it’s just football,” Shelton said. “Whether it’s the Rose Bowl or a high school game back at Downingtown West, at the end of the day, it’s just football. Just going out there and competing every day.”

Shelton was pressed into action out of necessity when All-Big Ten lineman Olu Fashanu went down with an injury. Fashanu is returning for his redshirt junior year next season, but before he made the announcement, he was projected by many to be a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft. While he’s been out, Shelton has taken advantage of the opportunity.

“Coming into this year, I just wanted to have an impact on this team [and] on this O-line group specifically, whether it be on or off the field,” Shelton said. “So when my turn was called, I was ready.”

Penn State head coach James Franklin wasn’t expecting Shelton to play this role, but he’s happy with how it worked out.

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“We’re proud of him,” Franklin said. “Obviously when you get in a position where you lose a projected first-round draft choice in Olu Fashanu and have a guy like Drew Shelton be able to step into that role and play well, depth is important, and I think that’s a great example.”

Franklin noted Shelton’s offseason work. Shelton has gotten stronger, putting on nearly 30 pounds since arriving at Penn State.

“He showed right away that he was one of these freshmen [who] was taking a mature approach,” Franklin said.

Shelton, who also played basketball at Downingtown, is a member of a very talented 2022 Penn State Philadelphia-area recruiting class. Star linebacker Abdul Carter (La Salle College) and top running back Nick Singleton (Governor Mifflin) are other local products making an immediate impact.

Older Nittany Lion teammates have taken note of the freshman’s abilities. Penn State center Juice Scruggs has been impressed by Shelton’s knowledge and maturity, even as a freshman.

“It’s really easy [to teach] when you’ve got young guys that are smart and want to learn,” Scruggs said. “They want to understand football. Drew Shelton, J.B. Nelson, Vega [Ioane]. Those guys, it’s easy to teach them because of how in tune they are and how much of a student of the game they are.”

While Shelton has made a big impact this year, his presence will be best felt in the future. Signs point to Shelton’s becoming a consummate starter next season, lining up along Fashanu, potentially on the opposite side of the line. Regardless of where he plays, Scruggs has high hopes for the freshman.

“Sky’s the limit,” Scruggs said. “I think he can be an Olu Fashanu-caliber player. As a true freshman, how polished he is? Yeah, he’s going to be great.”