Former Penn State football tackle Caedan Wallace was selected by the New England Patriots with the No. 68 overall selection of the 2024 NFL Draft. Wallace was the third Nittany Lion off the board, following Olu Fashanu and Chop Robinson. Wallace will likely compete for the backup tackle spot with his new team as he heads into training camp.

Wallace committed to James Franklin and Penn State in the recruiting Class of 2019. Ranked as a top-100 player nationally, the offensive lineman was one of the cornerstones of his class.

After appearing in four games and redshirting during his true freshman season, Wallace appeared in all nine games during the shortened 2020 season and started at right tackle in seven of them. In 2021, Wallace cemented his status as a key player in the Penn State offensive line as he started at right tackle in all 13 games that season.

With the starting right tackle job firmly in his grasp, Wallace began his redshirt junior season strong, earning offensive player of the game honors from Penn State’s coaching staff after the team dismantled Auburn 41-12 on the road. Unfortunately for Wallace, an injury kept him on the sidelines for the Nittany Lions’ final five regular-season games. Recovering just in time, Wallace appeared in Penn State’s Rose Bowl victory over Utah.

Wallace returned to Penn State for his fifth and final season in 2023 and turned in the best year of his collegiate career. Having started in all 13 games, Wallace allowed just one sack across 359 pass-blocking snaps and was named an All-Big Ten team honorable mention.

With his selection, Wallace was the second Penn State offensive lineman to be selected in this year’s draft, and Fashanu was pulled off the board earlier. Hunter Nourzad is also expected to hear his name called in Detroit, Michigan.