Later this week, Penn State football offensive lineman Vega Ioane is set to join Abdul Carter, Tyler Warren, Olu Fashanu, and Chop Robinson as Nittany Lions drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft, continuing a three-year streak.

The Graham, Washington, native appeared in 44 games over four seasons for Penn State, while starting 32 of them.

Ioane was a three-star recruit out of Graham-Kapowsin High School, where he played both offensive and defensive tackle. As part of the 2022 recruiting class, he was ranked as the No. 26 interior offensive lineman and the No. 9 overall recruit in the state of Washington, according to 247Sports’ Composite rankings. Ioane chose Penn State over Washington, Minnesota, Arizona, and UCLA, among others.

Upon arriving in Happy Valley, Ioane appeared in just four games as a freshman, burning his redshirt. The following season saw increased action for Ioane, who appeared in all 13 games and logged five starts for Penn State.

His breakout came in his redshirt sophomore season, where he started all 16 games at left guard for Penn State, earning All-Big Ten second-team honors from coaches and media, as well as Academic All-Big Ten honors.

Ioane took another jump in 2025 as a redshirt junior, starting all 11 games for Penn State and doing so in dominant fashion. The 22-year-old garnered national recognition that included both first and second-team All-American honors from over half a dozen outlets combined, All-Big Ten first-team honors from media, and All-Big Ten second-team honors from coaches, as well as receiving his second straight All-Big Ten Academic honor.

Statistically, Ioane has been one of the best interior offensive linemen in the nation over the last two seasons, surrendering zero sacks across 808 pass blocking attempts, and allowing just four pressures last fall. That kind of consistency for a Big Ten offensive lineman is eye-opening.

Ioane declared for the 2026 NFL Draft back in December and has since been training in Dallas with Duke Manyweather. He measured in at 6’4″, 320 pounds, with almost 33-inch arms, at the 2026 NFL Combine. The big boy showed off his explosiveness while in Indianapolis, logging a 31.5-inch vertical jump and an 8’8″ broad jump. A combination of domineering size and fluid athleticism makes Ioane a prototypical interior offensive lineman at the next level.

“Ioane is a thick, sturdy blocker who consistently holds his ground in pass protection and covers up defenders in the run game,” said Dane Brugler of The Athletic.

While some point to foot movement as a weakness, Ioane’s anchor and power generation allow him to physically dominate his blocking assignment, down in, down out. He consistently rolls his hips while blocking down on defenders to seal them off and create holes at the line of scrimmage.

“Ioane plays with excellent contact balance and technique on both base blocks and double teams. He uses his hips and hands for leverage and displacement when drive blocking. However, he lacks athleticism and foot quickness to operate effectively as a move blocker,” said NFL Draft analyst Lance Zurlein.

Overall, Ioane’s square, powerful frame, ability to displace defenders in the run game, and mauler mentality in pass protection draw him comparisons to Tyler Booker, Kevin Zietler, and Steve Avila. The consensus among analysts is that Ioane grades out as a first-round player and will likely be the first interior offensive lineman drafted.

The Baltimore Ravens at pick No. 14 are a popular pick for the All-American, but the Detroit Lions at pick No. 17, the Carolina Panthers at pick No. 19, and the Los Angeles Chargers at pick No. 22 are also potential destinations for Ioane on draft night. Regardless of which team takes him, Ioane will elevate the offensive line room immediately upon arrival with his NFL-ready traits as a “plug-and-play” rookie at either guard spot.

To see where Ioane lands, folks can tune in to the first round of the NFL Draft, beginning at 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 23, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. All seven rounds will be televised on ABC, ESPN, and the NFL Network.