If nothing else, Will Fries has been an extremely serviceable offensive lineman for Penn State since his redshirt freshman season back in 2017.

At 6’6″ and 306 pounds, Fries started games at both tackle positions as well as both guard slots throughout his time at Penn State. Fries played in all 48 games he was eligible, including 42 starts. He didn’t miss a single start in his final two seasons in Happy Valley.

Fries wasn’t necessarily always a dominant force in the trenches for the Nittany Lions, but he was one of the most durable and versatile offensive linemen for Penn State over the course of his career.

A redshirt senior heading into 2020, Fries opted not to use his extra year of eligibility he was granted due to the pandemic and declared for the 2021 NFL Draft. Currently, it seems probable that he’ll get picked up as a late-round selection or sign with a team as an undrafted free agent.

Sports Illustrated has Fries projected to go undrafted. It ranked as the 25th best player at his position.

Fries doesn’t necessarily have a set position, which bodes particularly well for him. His versatility and aforementioned durability are two qualities that teams view as invaluable in today’s NFL.

During his senior season, a year where the entire team struggled, the offensive line was just as suspect as any position group. The unit struggled mightily with inconsistencies across the board. However, Fries remained a leader in the group and was a big reason why it changed the narrative toward the end of the 2020 campaign.

Penn State flipped the script of the 2020 season during the final half, and the play of the offensive line was an immense part of that. The unit found success after Fries shifted from his right tackle position inside to right guard, while promising standout freshman Caeden Wallace took over at Fries’ spot. It was a move that worked wonders for the Nittany Lions’ offense.

Fries helped contribute to an offense that averaged 219 rushing yards over the final four games of the season, all of which were wins. The offensive line surrendered only three sacks over the first three games of that four-win stretch, The offensive lineman was also named Penn State’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner last year.

Fries will participate in Penn State’s Pro Day coming up on March 25, as well as this year’s modified NFL Draft Combine. Fries, Micah Parsons, Jayson Oweh, Pat Freiermuth, Shaka Toney and Michal Menet will all represent the Nittany Lions at that event.

Fries and Menet will aim to join former Penn State offensive linemen such as Connor McGovern, Donovan Smith, Stefen Wisniewski, and Ryan Bates by hearing their names called in the 2021 NFL Draft.