Overview Shelton was the first Huskie to earn first-team Academic All-American since 1991. He led the nation in fumble recoveries with five and had 16 tackles for loss in 2014. He finished second on the team with 93 tackles. Was first-team Academic All-Pac-12 as a junior. Started his final 40 games at nose tackle and played 53 games total. Named first-team all-state as a high school senior in Seattle as both an offensive and defensive lineman. Also participated in track and field as a thrower, winning the shot put state championship as a senior. Was a standout wrestler, too.

Analysis Strengths Bends well for a big man and has ability to play with leverage. Space-eater who is able to maintain good positioning against double teams. Consistently gets his hands inside offensive linemen first. Controls, sees it and sheds to make tackles. Surprising ability to swat cut blocks and chase stretch plays laterally. Played a high percentage of Washington's defensive snaps. Has the strength and athleticism to dominate in the running game. Weaknesses Despite girth and leverage potential, can be a little inconsistent at getting push off snap. Dominates lesser centers but doesn't seem to look nearly as dominant against more talented centers. Will quit on a play when he's blocked. Produced eye-catching sack numbers for his position in 2014, but much of it was against lesser competition. Must work to keep weight in check. Draft Projection Round 1 Sources Tell Us "Shelton is a bully. If you let him walk all over you early in the game, he's going to keep doing it. But watch how he kind of fades into the background when he goes up against guys who stand up to him. I want to see him show up all the time." -- NFC area scout NFL Comparison Vince Wilfork Bottom Line With his thick frame and powerful upper body, Shelton has moments where he can dominate at the point of attack. He was forced to chase sideline to sideline due to the nature of Pac-12 offenses, but when he faced downhill competition like Stanford, he stepped up. Shelton is an above-average interior pass rusher for a man his size, thanks to his surprising athleticism. He is a fit in a two-gap scheme and could benefit from playing fewer snaps than he was forced to play at Washington. He has an All-Pro ceiling, but must show a greater consistency of effort. Related Links -Lance Zierlein