Hang on folks, we’re almost there.

Penn State football kicks off its 2024 season at West Virginia in just under one week. So, we’re laying out where things stand at the offensive line and tight end positions ahead of the opener.

The Nittany Lions have significant depth at both positions despite losing Theo Johnson, Olu Fashanu, Caedan Wallace, and Hunter Nourzad to the 2024 NFL Draft. There are several players at both positions who return with starting experience or significant playing time, which should ease the changing of the guard.

Offensive Line

Starters: Drew Shelton, Vega Ioane, Nick Dawkins, Sal Wormley, Nolan Rucci

Reserves: Cooper Cousins, Dominic Rulli, Ian Harvie, Chimdy Onoh, JB Nelson, Donnie Harbour, Logan Bahn, Liam Horan, Alex Birchmeier, Eagan Boyer, Jim Fitzgerald, Henry Boehme, Anthony Donkoh, Garrett Sexton, Caleb Brewer, J’Ven Williams, Matt Detisch, Mason Carlan, Addison Penn

Penn State returns some experienced members of its offensive line. Sal Wormley started every game and earned All-Big Ten honorable mention laurels from coaches and the media last season. His experience will help anchor the line this season.

Meanwhile, Nick Dawkins, Drew Shelton, and Vega Ioane appeared in every game last season. Ioane made five starts, while Shelton made one and provided versatility, as he can play on both sides of the line.

The trio’s lengthy experience on the line gives them the leg up over other players, and as a result, it’s hard to see any of those three not starting.

Meanwhile, Nolan Rucci starting at right tackle seems like the most realistic path. Although his playing time was sporadic at Wisconsin, Rucci was a four-star and heavily recruited by Penn State in high school.

The possibility of Rucci starting over Anthony Donkoh, J’Ven Williams, and Chimdy Onoh is reinforced given his experience compared to theirs. Rucci is a redshirt junior, while Donkoh, Williams, and Onoh are redshirt freshmen.

Although four of the five projected starters have significant experience, it’s hard to predict how the group will fare without Fashanu and Wallace. There’s plenty of potential from Wormley and Shelton, but the bench looks promising, too. If Alex Birchmeier, Williams, and Cooper Cousins develop nicely, this unit could be a force to be reckoned with very soon.

Tight End

Starter: Tyler Warren

Reserves: Khalil Dinkins, Jerry Cross, Andrew Rappleyea, Luke Reynolds, Joey Schlaffer, Finn Furmanek

Tyler Warren returns as the obvious starter here. Despite entering last season as the No. 2 behind Theo Johnson, Warren outperformed the now-New York Giant with 422 receiving yards and tied him with seven touchdowns. He also averaged more yards per catch with 12.4.

With Johnson now in the NFL and no serious contender to take significant reps, Warren could become even more of a weapon. His impact was solid to begin with, but he now has the chance to take his game to the next level, which in turn could make him a serious asset for Drew Allar.

Warren could be be Allar’s No. 1 target this season. The receiving room has serious question marks, and Warren is more proven than anyone there.

Meanwhile, Khalil Dinkins should be the second string. He played in 12 games last season and had two touchdowns.

However, it also wouldn’t be shocking if Dinkins isn’t the second string. Penn State has a deep room with players such as Jerry Cross, Andrew Rappleyea, and five-star freshman Luke Reynolds. Cross only played five times last year, but he’s a former four-star who provides depth. Rappleyea and Reynolds are slightly younger, but the latter, a former five-star recruit, could be a superstar in a year or two.