DETROIT, Mich. – Penn State football offensive lineman Caedan Wallace (3rd round, 68th overall, New England Patriots) and defensive end Adisa Isaac (3rd round, 93rd overall, Baltimore Ravens) were both selected in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft on Friday.
The Nittany Lions have a total of 41 players who have been drafted in the last seven NFL drafts, the most in a seven-year span for the program since 1991-97 (45 picks).
Penn State is one of three schools that has had a player selected among the first three rounds of the NFL Draft in 19-straight years, joining USC and LSU.
A total of 385 Nittany Lions have been selected all-time in the NFL Draft, which ranks seventh among Division I institutions. Penn State has had 50 players selected since James Franklin's arrival to the program in 2014, including 25 taken on the first two days of the draft.
This marks the first time Penn State has had two defensive ends taken in the same draft since 2021, and the third time in PSU history and second time under head coach James Franklin. The Nittany Lions have also had two offensive linemen selected since 2021, and the 14th time in PSU history and the second time under Franklin.
Caedan Wallace
Wallace is Penn State's 35th offensive tackle (89th offensive lineman) selected in the NFL Draft. He is the eighth offensive lineman drafted in the James Franklin era.
He is the 12th Nittany Lion to be selected by the New England Patriots all-time.
"We are excited for Caedan to continue his football career with the New England Patriots," said Franklin. "Caedan grew a great amount at his position during his time here and has a tremendous upside, having played in 47 career games at Penn State with 40 starts. Caedan took advantage of every opportunity he was given, coming out of Penn State a better athlete and has matured into an even better man. Caedan, an All-Big Ten honoree and a Penn State graduate, comes from an incredible family who has greatly impacted his career and our entire organization. I am really excited for Caedan and look forward to following his career in the NFL."
"I am thrilled for Caedan being drafted by the New England Patriots," said offensive line coach Phil Trautwein. "Caedan decided to come back this season and really played his best football for us. He is very physical. He has great strength and power, which makes him a great NFL prospect. He is extremely coachable and his teammates love being around him. It has been a true pleasure to coach Caedan these last four seasons. I'm excited to see him play on Sundays."
Caedan Wallace · OL · 6-5 · 328 · Robbinsville, N.J. · The Hun School
- Appeared in 47 career games, making 40 starts, at Penn State.
- Earned All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2023.
- Started all 13 games in the 2023 season at right tackle.
- According to Pro Football Focus, Wallace has allowed just one sack in 359 pass blocking snaps.
- Was the Coaching Staff's Offensive Player of the Game following the Iowa game.
- Helped Penn State to tally at least 400 yards in six games, including a season-best 586 yards at Michigan State.
- Penn State did not allow a sack against Delaware, Iowa or Rutgers.
- The Nittany Lions rushed for over 200 yards in five games and threw for at least 200 yards in eight games.
- The Nittany Lions had multiple rushing touchdowns in eight games in 2023.
- Led the way for Kaytron Allen (137) and Nicholas Singleton (118) to both rush for over 100 yards at Michigan State.
- The Penn State offensive line led the way for PSU to rank 12th in the country in scoring offense (36.2) and lead the Big Ten in rushing offense (184.8) and red zone offense (95.3).
Adisa Isaac
Isaac is Penn State's 24th defensive end selected in the NFL Draft and the eighth defensive end selected in the first round. He is the eighth defensive end selected in the James Franklin era.
He is the seventh Nittany Lion to be selected by the Baltimore Ravens all-time and will join former Penn State defensive end Odafe Oweh and punter Jordan Stout in Baltimore.
"Adisa is an exceptional football player who will thrive with the Baltimore Ravens organization," said Franklin. "He is a special young man and extremely deserving of this opportunity. He has embodied toughness and resilience throughout his life, while also showcasing impressive athleticism. Adisa chose to return for an additional season, earned his degree and served as a team captain. That decision significantly benefited both his personal development and our team's success. He was a two-time All-Big Ten honoree, including a first-team selection last season, while totaling 14.5 career sacks and 31.5 tackles for loss. I couldn't be prouder of Adisa and I am excited to see him excel in his professional football career."
"The Baltimore Ravens are getting a tough, athletic and relentless player in Adisa Isaac," said defensive line coach Deion Barnes. "Adisa is an incredibly talented player, and the competitive edge he plays with is what makes him extra special. He is also bringing great leadership to the NFL. Throughout his career here, he made sure to always keep his teammates accountable. He is a great man and comes from a great family. It was an honor to coach Adisa the last four seasons, and I am thrilled for him achieving his dream."
Adisa Isaac · DE · 6-4 · 249 · Brooklyn, N.Y. · Canarsie
- Named first-team All-Big Ten by the media and second-team by the coaches.
- Shared Penn State's Defensive MVP honors with Chop Robinson.
- Earned All-Big Ten third team honors from the coaches and honorable mention accolades by the media in 2022.
- In his Penn State career, tallied 92 tackles (47 solo), 31.5 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
- In 2023, Isaac recorded 37 tackles (23 solo), 16 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and four QB hurries.
· Helped the Penn State defense to lead the nation in first downs allowed (181), sacks per game (3.8), total sacks (49) and tackles for loss per game (8.5).
· Penn State ranked second in total defense (247.6) and third in scoring defense (13.5).
· Isaac was tied third in the Big Ten with 7.5 sacks and ranked second with 15 tackles for loss, while sitting fifth in sacks per game (0.6) and fourth in tackles for loss per game (1.2).
· He owned seven career games with multiple tackles for loss.
· Over the last two seasons, Isaac's six games with two or more tackles for loss were tied-most in the Big Ten.
· Against Iowa, Isaac notched a solo sack and recovered a fumble.
· He secured a solo sack at Northwestern and recorded career highs with 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss against UMass.
· Notched a solo sack and a forced fumble at Maryland and three tackles for loss against Michigan.
· Collected a career-high seven tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack, at Michigan State.
Penn State opens the 2024 campaign against West Virginia on Saturday, August 31.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and ticket information for the 2024 Penn State Football season presented by PSECU, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.PSUnrivaled.com, or call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.