Penn State only lost one member from its starting offensive line in 2024, a line that produced two 1,000-yard rushers for the first time in program history, right guard Sal Wormley, and his replacement couldn’t be more clear. Former five-star rising sophomore Cooper Cousins will almost certainly slot into right guard with Nick Dawkins to his left, but it’s unclear who will be to his right.
The focus of Penn State’s 2023 recruiting class was the offensive line. Yet, with two elite top 100 recruits, J’Ven Williams and Alex Birchmeier, leading the way for the class, Anthony Donkoh, the lowest-rated offensive line recruit in the class, was the first to carve out a role on the field.
Last offseason, after a promising performance in the 2023 Peach Bowl against Ole Miss, Donkoh won the starting right tackle job, beating out Williams, Birchmeier, and Wisconsin transfer and another former five-star recruit, Nolan Rucci.
Donkoh impressed throughout his 447 offensive snaps, allowing just eight quarterback pressures and no sacks, but injuries cracked the door open for Rucci to see the field. Then, after Donkoh suffered a season-ending knee injury on the second snap of the game against Minnesota in Week 13, Rucci seized the opportunity and played the best ball of his career across Penn State’s final five games.
The former top in-state recruit, who left PA for Wisconsin, did not allow a sack during the Big Ten Championship Game and College Football Playoff, and gave up just two total QB pressures during that stretch. Now, James Franklin and offensive line coach Phil Trautwein have the summer to decide whether Donkoh or Rucci will take the field first in Week 1 when the Nittany Lions host Nevada at Beaver Stadium.
Anthony Donkoh vs. Nolan Rucci
Donkoh’s injury kept him out down the stretch, but James Franklin told the media that he had a clean bill of health heading into spring ball, so that won’t be much of a complicating factor in this competition. However, the style of offense that Penn State wants to play with offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki in his second season might be.
Penn State overhauled its wide receiver room after last year’s starting duo struggled in big games. If Kotelnicki is looking to lean more heavily on Drew Allar’s arm with a trustworthy group of pass-catchers in place, that could be an advantage for Rucci, the better pass-blocker of the two. Rucci stands 6-foot-8 and weighs 308 pounds, an ideal size for a pass-blocking offensive tackle who can keep defensive ends at bay with his combination of length and strength.
However, despite the investment in the wide receiver room, it likely took more NIL resources to keep the best running back duo in the country from leaving for the NFL. With Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen on the roster, the run game has to be a major focal point for Penn State, regardless of Allar’s status as a potential first-round quarterback. That could tip the scale in the 6-foot-5, 334-pound Donkoh’s direction. Originally listed as an interior offensive lineman on the recruiting trail, Donkoh is a road-grader in the run game and potentially the superior option for a run-first attack.
Having two capable right tackles is a good problem to have; most programs in the country don’t have one, and if they have multiple, they’re nearly impossible to keep out of the transfer portal. Franklin managed to not only build depth at a crucial position but to retain it. Now, he and his coaching staff must decide which one they trust the most heading into the 2025 season.
Discussion about this post