It’s a strength.
Yes, I’m actually writing about the offensive line.
Penn State has accumulated plenty of talent and plenty of depth in the offensive trenches, which is one of the biggest changes in the program over the course of the past decade.
The Lions boast 24 players along the offensive line on their spring roster. Let’s take a look at how that depth looks to be shaking out right now.
The Rotation Guys: Cooper Cousins (So.), Nick Dawkins (RSr.), JB Nelson (RSr.), Drew Shelton (Sr.), Anthony Donkoh (RSo.), Vega Ioane (RJr.), Nolan Rucci (RSr.), J’ven Williams (RSo.)
Several of these guys have played a lot of football over the course of the past few years and figure to see lighter loads in the spring ahead of the 2025 season. With that in mind, if you head to the spring game, you might not see a lot of action from these guys.
Shelton has been in the mix at left tackle since taking over in the last month of the 2022 season, including starting the Rose Bowl. Nick Dawkins is also back at center for his final season. Donkoh will miss spring practice as he recovers from an injury last year at Minnesota, while Rucci played well in the playoff run. Ioane earned all-conference honors and he’ll start at left guard, while Nelson has been a valuable reserve piece for the last couple of seasons and has earned a couple of starts. Lastly, Cousins and Williams are highly touted players who figure to take a lot of snaps this year.
The Stand-Bys: Dominic Rulli (RJr.), TJ Shanahan Jr. (RSo), Alex Birchmeier (RSo.)
Rulli has played some snaps at center, while Birchmeier was a highly sought after recruit who still has three years of eligibility left. I would guess you’ll see plenty of these two in the spring game and again in September as Penn State opens with three non-conference home games. Meanwhile, Shanahan is an intriguing transfer from Texas A&M.
Keep an Eye On These: Chimdy Onoh (RSo.), Donnie Harbour (RFr.), Eagan Boyer (RFr.), Garrett Sexton (RFr.), Caleb Brewer (RFr.)
Here are five players who have been in the program and could be on the verge of breaking through. Sexton and Boyer are comparable, two long-framed offensive tackles who have been putting on weight and figure to be contributors more in 2026 and beyond. Onoh was a late recruiting steal and he could break through soon on the field, while Harbour and Brewer are interesting athletes to keep tabs on as they progress.
The Newcomers: Michael Troutman III (Fr.), Owen Alciene (Fr.)
The name that isn’t listed here is Malachi Goodman, Penn State’s highest rated offensive line recruit. He won’t arrive until the summer. All three of these guys are almost assuredly headed for redshirts, which shows the depth of the room.
The Depth: Ian Harvie (RJr.), Liam Horan (RFr.), Jim Fitzgerald (RJr.), Henry Boehme (RSo.), Matt Detisch (RJr.), Mason Carlan (RSr.)
Whatever the spring game format, you’ll see a number of these guys getting those later reps.