Penn State coach Matt Campbell officially named the team’s starting offensive line at his first weekly presser as PSU coach late Tuesday morning.
BROCK RIKER
As expected, Riker will be the team’s starting center, beating out veteran Dominic Rulli for the job. Riker was a freshman All-American at Texas State last season, and some are expecting him to be one of, if not the best, in the Big Ten at that position in his first year at Penn State.
COOPER COUSINS
Cousins will be the team’s starting right guard. Last year, he appeared in 12 games and made two starts while earning Academic All-Big Ten honors. He also entered the season on the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List and was a Good Works Team nominee.
Cousins made his first career start at Ohio State. He also helped Penn State produce 465 yards against Villanova, 412 yards against Nebraska and a season-high 509 yards at Rutgers, a game in which Kaytron Allen rushed for 226 yards.
According to Pro Football Focus, Cousins played 177 offensive snaps in 2025. He finished with a 67.5 overall blocking grade, including a 66.6 run-blocking grade and 65.8 pass-blocking grade. His best game came in the bowl matchup against Clemson, where he played 78 snaps and posted a 69.7 overall grade.
The most valuable part of Cousins’ profile might be his flexibility. He has taken game reps at center, right guard, left guard and left tackle. Cousins said his focus entering spring was likely on the right side, but he also made clear he would play wherever Penn State needed him.
ANTHONY DONKOH
After missing spring practice with an injury, Donkoh is back and will be starting at right tackle. As a redshirt freshman in 2024, he established himself as perhaps Penn State’s best OL before a late-season injury cost him a chance to appear during Penn State’s College Football Playoff run.
Now, he’s in his fourth season and is one of the team’s leaders.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.TREVOR BUHR
Buhr was a two-year starter at Iowa State under Campbell.
Earlier in fall camp, PSU OC Taylor Mouser said the starting left guard “might be our MVP” of camp.
“I think just the consistency that he plays with,” Mouser said. “He plays a very, very physically demanding position (left guard). He and (right guard) Cooper Cousins are o-linemen that take pride in how violent and physical they can be. And Trevor has done a good job of that. And he’s consistent in pass pro every rep, doesn’t lose him in pass pro, and is violent at the point of attack. And we got some really big, stout dudes in there on the defensive line. So I think just being the same guy in a time period where it’s hard to find.”
MALACHI GOODMAN
The starting left tackle battle had the most mystery, but Goodman was still the favorite, and it wasn’t a surprise when Campbell named the Class of 2025 five-star recruit as the starter.
Goodman redshirted last season, so we haven’t seen much from him yet.
But all the ingredients are there for him to be a star.
