Penn State football’s offensive line is its largest unit, both physically and literally.

The room includes 19 players who weigh in at a combined 5,919 pounds and stand at an average of 6’5″. Based on the philosophies of head coach Matt Campbell and offensive line coach Ryan Clanton, Penn State’s gargantuan gridiron gang will be tasked with setting the tone in the trenches on gamedays come fall.

But who are the faces behind the Nittany Lions’ newest brigade of blockers?

Projected Starters

Of Penn State’s five starters from 2025, only one (Anthony Donkoh) returned for the 2026 season. The other four, left tackle Drew Shelton, left guard Vega Ioane, center Nick Dawkins, and right tackle Nolan Rucci, all made the jump to the NFL in the spring. Realistically, all five spots are open for grabs, but Donkoh will likely reclaim a starting spot at right tackle given his prototypical build and standout athleticism for the position.

“You can really see his body and the way his body is built. Everything about his body is a tackle body,” said Clanton. “He’s got super long legs, long arms. He’s extremely strong, he’s quick, he’s athletic, and he never really loses leverage.”

Moving to the other end of the line, we can expect redshirt freshman Malachi Goodman to start at left tackle. The 6’6″, 330-pounder did not touch the field in 2025, but with a strong offseason of development, Goodman is slated to be the blindside protector for quarterback Rocco Becht.

Similar to Donkoh, Goodman boasts unteachable physical traits that could make him a quality starter for years to come. However, as a young player, he will have to settle into the mental aspects of live game reps, as well as the speed and physicality of Big Ten pass rushers. His position coach doesn’t sound too worried, though.

“He can glide, he’s long, he’s aggressive, and he’s smart. He does a good job of retaining information and then putting it out there on the field,” said Clanton.

His head coach echoed that confidence, saying, ” [Malachi’s] 330, and he looks like he’s 250. He’s smooth as an athlete; his competitive spirit, to be honest with you, watching him in winter conditioning, watching his evolution in the weight room, he may be a redshirt freshman, but I feel like he’s mature. [His] physical ability is way beyond that.”

Sliding over to left guard, there is a gaping hole left by Ioane, who was an All-American in 2025 and the 14th-overall pick in the NFL Draft. While nobody can fill those shoes, Trevor Buhr, who followed Campbell and Clayton from Iowa State to Happy Valley, is no slouch. The 6’4″, 318-pound redshirt junior earned All-Big 12 honorable mention in 2025 and hasn’t allowed a sack in his 534 career pass-blocking snaps. His standing chemistry with Campbell, Clanton, Becht, and offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser makes him an obvious starter in 2026.

As for the center position, someone who can digest pre-snap defenses alongside Becht is a major weapon, and Campbell knows that.

“When we’ve had a great center, we’ve always had the ability to have a great offensive line,” he said.

Unlike the other four positions, there appears to be a legitimate battle to be the starting anchor of the offensive line. Dominic Rulli is a redshirt senior who has appeared in 42 games over four seasons but has notched just one career start, filling in for Dawkins in the Pin Stripe Bowl.

Although he was reportedly fighting through an injury for much of spring ball, his grit earned him respect from players and the coaching staff.

“Dom is one of the toughest kids that I’ve been around, in terms of like, man, he’s doing everything in his power to practice,” Campbell said in early April. “Dom is one of those guys that’s so trusted already in our football program because of his mannerisms and actions. He’s been a great leader for the time that we’ve stepped on campus here.

Brock Riker is also in the mix. The redshirt sophomore transferred from Texas State in the winter after earning second-team Freshman All-American honors from The Athletic. He allowed zero sacks across 438 pass-blocking snaps in 2025.

“Brock is really talented,” said Campbell. “He’s certainly got good game reps. He’s started as many games as he’s played. You see a maturity in his game reps, and I think you’ve seen a physical growth for him.”

Riker entered Happy Valley at 270 pounds but has since climbed to 295, with the potential to reach 305 by the fall, according to Campbell.

Another advantage Riker can draw on is his high school wrestling and powerlifting background, which is evident in his on-field athleticism.

“You can see his lower half, his ability to move and strike. It’s been impressive,” said Campbell.

Campbell says he believes the true competition will start in fall camp, but it will be interesting to see the battle between a tenured member of the program like Rulli, who hasn’t been fully healthy, and the young newcomer, Riker, who meshed with the rest of the offense during the offseason and has a season of starting experience. Based on our observations thus far, Riker should be the starting center when the season begins.

Lastly, the right guard spot belongs to one person: Cooper Cousins. The 6’6″ junior has appeared in 28 games through two seasons and notched his first two career starts in 2025. He’s patiently waited his turn and now looks to cash in on legitimate reps as the starting right guard in 2026. His build is domineering, and it shows in his ability to fire off the ball and displace defenders in the run game.

A starting five of Goodman, Buhr, Riker, Cousins, and Donkoh is certainly unproven, but their combination of athleticism, power, and size is a recipe for Penn State to control the line of scrimmage on offense this year.

Supporting Cast

Having five talented starters along the offensive line is great, but when you play one of the most violent positions on the field, you are bound to get banged up. That is why it’s essential to constantly develop backup offensive linemen, so that if a starter goes down, your game plan isn’t wrecked.

If Penn State’s offensive line were an NBA team, it appears Garrett Sexton would be the “sixth man.” The redshirt sophomore has consistently received praise for his intelligence, competitive spark, and mean streak attitude in practice. Despite measuring in at 6’6″, 315 pounds, he boasts highly athletic traits, stemming from his high school basketball background. He appeared in all 13 of Penn State’s games last season, so if Goodman or Donkoh are unable to go, Sexton seems next in line at tackle.

Another young piece who could contribute as a backup is Owen Aliciene. The Cheshire, Connecticut, native was the No. 3-ranked prospect in his state but saw little playing time in 2025. His 6’7″ frame certainly plugs him at tackle, but according to Campbell, he can slide in as needed.

“Owen is a guy that can play across the board at a lot of different positions, but his athleticism has been really impressive in terms of watching his ability.”

Tyshon Huff is another interesting name to watch, as he transferred from the Division II school, Tiffin. Huff broke out in 2025, starting all 11 games for the Dragons and surrendering just one sack. He offers position versatility, which is always a bonus as a reserve.

Chimdy Onoh is another Happy Valley vet who has seen his playing time increase in each of the last three seasons, logging 19 total games played. The 6’5″ redshirt junior could once again be in line for increased reps.

Development Pieces

Will Thompkins, Kuol Kuol II, and Vaea Ikakoula all spent one season at Iowa State, where they redshirted, and then followed Campbell to Penn State this winter. Ikakoula actually logged two starts as a true freshman, which is enticing for his development as a player.

Similarly, Mason Bandhauer is a class of 2026 recruit who was originally committed to Iowa State, but flipped to Penn State after Campbell was hired.

These four players are unproven but clearly part of Campbell and Clanton’s vision for the future of the offensive line room.