Penn State has some work to do on the offensive line this season.
The program has to replace arguably America’s top left tackle in Olu Fashanu, who went to the Jets in the first round of this year’s draft.
Penn State also has to account for the loss of starting center and veteran leader Hunter Nourzad, who’s now part of the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Perhaps the least-heralded loss of those three is a guy who started at 40 games at right tackle for Penn State over four seasons: Caedan Wallace.
Wallace received criticism early in his college career and, even when he played well, seemed to go under the radar. But next to Fashanu and fellow first-round pick Chop Robinson (Dolphins), Wallace was Penn State’s highest draft pick this spring, going in the third-round to the Patriots.
Replacing Wallace won’t be easy, but through a combination of high school recruiting and the transfer portal, Penn State looks to be in good shape.
Speaking to media after practice Thursday, Franklin said there are two players competing for the starting role at right tackle: Wisconsin transfer Nolan Rucci and Anthony Donkoh, who’s back for his second season at PSU.
“Donkoh and Rucci are in a battle,” Franklin said.
In describing Rucci, who played at Wisconsin for three seasons, he used an expression he’s used to describe multiple players, including QB Drew Allar.
“Rucci is another guy— I don’t want to use the same expression twice— but ‘steady Eddie,’ and a lot of times with o-linemen, if you don’t notice them, it’s a good thing. He’s just kind of doing his job and getting better. I think he’s gotten comfortable with the weight that he’s put on as well, and then finding that sweet spot of what the right weight is for him to do play, so that he has a chance to block Abdul (Carter), and also Dani (Dennis-Sutton), which are two very different types of players. But he’s doing really well.
Franklin then pointed out what Donkoh did last season.
Donkoh only played in four games last season, thus keeping his redshirt, but had an increased role for the Peach Bowl against Ole Miss.
Donkoh played 46 snaps— he played 49 total in his first three games— and had an offensive grade of 78.7 per Pro Football Focus. That was the highest grade among Penn State’s offensive linemen and the second overall among PSU’s offensive players.
“What Donkoh was able to do as a true freshman was pretty impressive,” Franklin said. “So, that’s been good.”
Franklin also mentioned JB Nelson, who is in his own battle with Vega Ioane for the left guard spot, as someone who “can and will play right tackle,” describing the Mt. Lebanon product as a “swiss-army knife” who can play each tackle or guard position.
It seems that Rucci’s the favorite due to him having two years of experience on Donkoh but Penn State likes to rotate linemen, so Donkoh should see his share of time regardless.
