For the first time in the James Frankin era at Penn State, the Penn State Nittany Lions may have the best offensive line in all of college football. In 205, the Nittany Lions return three starters who played in every game last season while also returning plenty of additional experienced talent.
Below, Happy Valley Insider breaks down the Nittany Lions' offensive line as spring practices continue.
RETURNING STARTERS
Penn State returns three full-time starters from the 2024 season in left tackle Drew Shelton, left guard Olaivavega Ioane, and center Nick Dawkins.
Shelton enters his senior year at Penn State with 36 games played and over 1,700 career snaps. Overall, the former Downingtown West (PA) standout has done a tremendous job and, through his 36 career games played, has only allowed a total of two sacks.
Ioane, entering his redshirt junior season, brings 33 games and 21 starts of experience with him into the season and nearly 1,700 career snaps of his own. The 2024 season was his best season as he improved greatly in both pass blocking and run blocking while also learning a bit of a new role in Andy Kotelnicki's offense, often being used in motion. Last season, Ioane did not allow a single sack and allowed just one quarterback hit.
Dawkins is the most experienced of the group in games played, but last year was only his first season as a starter. He started all 16 games. The Allentown, Pennsylvania native was solid in his debut season as a starter. While he allowed 29 total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, he only allowed two sacks and was a strong run blocker in the process.
On top of those three, Penn State also returns Anthony Donkoh and Nolan Rucci at right tackle. Both started games for the Nittany Lions last fall.
Starting with Donkoh, the 6-foot-5, 330-pound redshirt sophomore, started in 10 of 11 games he played in last season. Against UCLA earlier in the season, he suffered what appeared to be a shoulder injury but returned the next week against USC. Then, against Minnesota in late November, Donkoh suffered a serious leg injury that knocked him out for the remainder of the 2024 season. He continues to work his way back from that injury.
When Donkoh will be ready to go for the 2025 season remains a question, but once he returns, he should be a mainstay in the offensive line rotation at the very least after his strong performance in 2024.
Once Donkoh went down last fall, taking over for him was Pennsylvania native and Wisconsin transfer Nolan Rucci. Rucci appeared in all 16 games for Penn State last season, but it was not until the Maryland game after Donkoh's injury that he entered the starting lineup. After having some struggles as a rotational player earlier in the season, Rucci excelled once he entered the starting lineup, allowing just two pressures and no sacks, according to Pro Football Focus. As of now, Rucci is penciled in as the starter at left tackle to start the 2025 season.
Finally, we have to discuss true sophomore Cooper Cousins. The Erie, Pennsylvania native totaled 172 snaps as a true freshman and played at a quality level. As of now, the expectation is for the former high four-star prospect to be the Nittany Lions' starting right guard this fall.
THE ROTATION
When it comes to the Nittany Lions' offensive line rotation this season, the two pieces that will certainly be locked into playing time are redshirt sophomore J'ven Williams and redshirt senior JB Nelson. Both offensive linemen have the ability to play inside and outside if needed.
Beyond Williams and Nelson, Penn State also has Texas A&M transfer TJ Shanahan Jr. now in the fold. Shanahan Jr. likely will not see a large amount of playing time in 2025 but does have the ability to play any of the three interior positions.
Also worth mentioning is walk-on Dominic Rulli, who could push for playing time as the backup center alongside Shanahan.
WHICH YOUNG OFFENSIVE LINEMEN WILL EMERGE?
Beyond those three rotational pieces, the biggest question is which younger offensive linemen will emerge in 2025 for Penn State.
Chimdy Onoh and Alex Birchmeier, the latter once being a highly rated four-star prospect, are both redshirt sophomores in 2025. Donnie Harbour, Garrett Sexton, Eagan Boyer, and Caleb Brewer enter their redshirt freshman seasons. Harbour and Boyer were both names that emerged from a development standpoint last year and could push for playing time throughout the course of the 2025 season.
Among the true freshmen, both Owen Alciiene and Michael Troutman are already on campus and participating this spring. Both are longer-term developmental pieces. Four-star offensive lineman Malachi Goodman will be one to watch come this summer, but is unlikely to see any serious playing time as a true freshman.
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