Gone are the days of 2025's offensive line in which all five starters had previous experience. Now, position coach Ryan Clanton will have a malleable group at his disposal.
Penn State offensive lineman Anthony Donkoh celebrates following the 37-10 win over Nebraska on Nov. 22, 2025. Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.comoffensive line returned five players with significant starting experience in 2025.
While the group underperformed to begin the campaign, they began to gel in the second half as star running back Kaytron Allen marched his way to the all-time program rushing record. But four of those five players — Drew Shelton, Vega Ioane, Nick Dawkins and Nolan Rucci — are not off to the NFL. One gifted guard/tackle, Anthony Donkoh, has returned to be a key leader in 2026. The rest of the group will look vastly different. Key 2025 rotator and former top prospect Cooper Cousins will factor in on the interior. Everyone else will come from the transfer portal or as an inexperienced returning Nittany Lion. Penn State and first-year coach Matt Campbell and O-line leader Ryan Clanton added seven linemen from the portal, four of whom followed him from Iowa State.for the 2026 Penn State team thus far. We’ll continue to roll through each position group as the transfer picture becomes clear.Donkoh will be a set-it-and-forget-it option at one of a few options up front, likely right tackle. His 21 starts of experience up front is irreplaceable, and his athleticism plays well on the edges. Cousins should also be a starter after a disappointing 2025 in which he battled injuries and couldn’t break through the veteran group. The previous coaching staff, including position coach Phil Trautwein, saw Cousins as a center in the long term. That’s an option, but it’s perhaps more likely we see Cousins at guard because of one of the highest-profile transfer additions of Campbell’s first offseason in Happy Valley. Former Texas State center Brock Riker — a 6-4, 285-pounder — has joined the Nittany Lions after starting all 12 games in 2025. He earned an excellent 71.7 offensive grade fromPenn State also has former walk-on center Dom Rulli returning after he backed up Dawkins in 2025. Guard should be flush with competition in addition to Cousins. Two Iowa State imports — Trevor Buhr and Vaea Ikakoula — had on-field experience in 2025. Buhr started the final five games of the season. In each of those games, running back Carson Hansen went over 100-rushing yards. Ikakoula appeared in four games while preserving his freshman redshirt.The biggest question mark for 2026 comes at left tackle, where two-year starter Shelton leaves a big hole, and there’s no obvious choice to replace him. Returning young Lions Garrett Sexton, Owen Aliciene and Malachi Goodman are intriguing options. Sexton played six games on offense. Aliciene was a buzzworthy offseason name who started to make strides in spring and fall camp. An Goodman — the former five-star prospect — has all the potential in the world if Clanton can unleash it. Division II Tiffin transfer Tyshon Huff, 6-4 and 300 pounds, could be an option. But it’s a huge jump in competition for him. Iowa State transfer Kuol Kuol II has the size and athleticism, but he’s raw. The same can be said for just about every other tackle on the roster. In all, it should be a strong group for Clanton and Penn State in 2026. There’s ample talent and just enough experience to survive in the Big Ten. But it doesn’t necessarily project as one of the conference’s best units on paper, as a lot is yet to be learned about some of the younger players. Penn State offensive lineman Malachi Goodman makes his way into Photo Day at Beaver Stadium on Aug. 16, 2025. Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.comRulli is the lone projected contributor of any significance in 2026 who carries a “senior designation.” Donkoh will have a serious case for the NFL if he stays healthy.It’s hard to project too far beyond this season because the bulk of the 2025 offensive line depth is extremely unproven, and Clanton has yet to do his own on-field evaluations. There are two high school prospects signed with the Lions in the 2026 class, three-stars Mason Bandhauer and Pete Eglitis. The portal will also open again after the year for Campbell and Clanton to fill any holes they may see. In a positive light, Iowa State’s rushing output has improved steadily since he joined Campbell’s staff in 2023, finishing in the top 50 teams nationally each of the past two seasons. The Cyclones were 103rd in 2023.Penn State wrestling hosts Nebraska on Friday: Updated InterMat rankings for both teamsMax Ralph is a sports reporter at PennLive, covering Penn State Athletics with a primary focus on Nittany Lion football. He is a 2024 Penn State graduate with a major in broadcast journalism, completing...
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