Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1495456
A P R I L 2 0 2 3 2 9 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M native needs to stay healthy and con- tinue growing in his game. While he might not be a superstar tackle, he can reach those heights as a guard. J'ven Williams OL | Fr. | 6-5 | 313 What he's shown: Power, explo- siveness, speed. There have been very few Penn State offensive linemen with the combination of top-end traits that Williams already had when he first walked through the door at the Lasch Building. His potential to create highlight-reel blocks in the run game is sky-high. That athleticism should also translate to elite pass protection. He moves his feet like a man half his size, so the goal is to train him to move them backward. At his highest potential, Williams could be a standout tackle and man the left side for Penn State. What he needs to work on: Wil- liams' proficiency as a pass blocker is entirely speculative at this point. Right now, he has little feel for moving laterally and backward in pass protection. Getting those fun- damentals ingrained into his soul so that he doesn't think about them is Step 1. From there, it's all about learn- ing the technical skills that will allow the physical traits to shine. Vega Ioane OL | R-Fr. | 6-4 | 352 What he's shown: Fans know all about Ioane's physical dimensions. He's a very large man, and he showed flashes of dominant power last year in mop-up duty. As with Williams, the key to being a superstar offensive lineman is to make pancake blocks. His athleticism, power and movement skills should enable him to do that eventually. It takes a spe- cial player to reach superstar status as a guard, but Ioane and Birchmeier both have the ability to do that. What he needs to work on: There's never an end to the improvements that offensive linemen can make. Even play- ers who have reached superstar status, like Olumuyiwa Fashanu, can refine various aspects of their game. For Ioane, the focus should be on reach blocking and pass protection. The Washington native has excellent hips for his size and can explode from his stance. However, learn- ing the proper technique to win in this zone-block- ing situation is one of the more challenging blocks to master. As a pass protector, he'll need to prioritize both p h y s i c a l a n d mental devel- opment. He'll need to learn the intrica- cies of hand fighting and how to neutralize speed through the A and B gaps. Then, if he can get his hands on a defender, his massive anchor can take over. Theo Johnson TE | Jr. | 6-6 | 256 W hat he's shown: With Bren- ton Strange off to the NFL, Johnson is poised for a breakout season at tight end. He put up gaudy receiving metrics down the stretch last year. Once he re- turned from an injury, Johnson aver- aged 17.0 yards per catch and was tar- geted 13.0 yards downfield on average, according to Pro Football Focus. He's proven that he can be a dangerous ver- tical threat. What he needs to work on: Inju- Overcoming an injury that forced him to miss two games last fall, tight end Theo Johnson finished with 328 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns on 20 catches. His average of 16.4 yards per catch led the team. PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE