Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1525333
2 8 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 4 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M some spring" and now appears to be the Nittany Lions' likely starter at left guard. Standing 6-4, 346 pounds, Ioane is a powerful, versatile lineman who is con- tinuing to get better. He'll be a crucial piece of the Nittany Lions' puzzle up front. 17. Drew Shelton | Jr. | OT Shelton endured some growing pains last fall after a promising true freshman season, but he was hampered by an injury that was serious enough to keep him out of practice this past spring. Now that he's back to full health, the 6-5, 306-pounder appears likely to take over the Lions' starting left tackle role. "I think he handled his time out physi- cally the right way," Franklin said. "He's really in a good position. He probably needs to put on a few pounds, but besides that, he's a super mature kid, very consci- entious, very intelligent. He's played well when he's been in there, all the way back to when he was a true freshman, so we're expecting him to have a good year." 18. Audavion Collins | R-So. | CB Collins has played a starring role in one of the offseason's buzziest storylines. A year after transferring from Mississippi State, he came on strong in the spring, clocking a 4.28-second 40-yard time. He hasn't let up in the months since and is in contention for heavy reps this fall, maybe even a starting job. "From this time last year to now, it's dramatically different," Franklin said. "He's playing with so much confidence. He's gotten bigger. When he transferred in here from Mississippi State, I think he was like 158 or 162 pounds, which is weird for a college player. But he's up to about 180 now. He's playing with real good con- fidence. He's showing up on special teams and showing up on defense, and he's part of the battle for that corner job." 19. Sal Wormley | R-Sr.+ | G Wormley fought back from an injury that forced him to miss the 2021 season and has earned honorable mention All- Big Ten recognition the past two years. His steadiness at guard should be helpful this year on an offensive line that must replace three starters. Franklin said that Wormley's decision to return for his super senior season was a win for both the player and the team. "Sal was pretty open and transparent with us that he was coming back; there wasn't a whole lot of drama associated with it," the coach said. "He felt like he needed another year to do what he wanted to do and for us to do what we want to do as a team. He's handling it well right now. He's taking on more of a leadership role with the team, which is cool to see." 20. Nick Dawkins | R-Sr. | C Dawkins appeared to fend off a chal- lenge from true freshman Cooper Cousins in spring practice and has only built on his advantage in the time since. He's expected to lock up the starting center position in preseason camp and has earned the confi- dence and enthusiastic approval of team- mates and coaches. One of his frequent sparring partners, J- Thomas, recently explained why Dawkins is looking like a probable starter. "It's just his intelligence and his ap- proach to the game, his athletic ability going from east to west, north to south," J-Thomas said. "And then just his knowl- edge of ball — that's going to be the thing that sets him apart. We've had generations of great offensive linemen, and I think Dawkins fits that mold in terms of how he approaches the game, his attention to detail. That's Dawk." 21. Dvon J-Thomas | R-Sr.+ | DT J-Thomas was one of three players who accompanied James Franklin to Big Ten Media Days in July, a choice that offers an indication of how highly the coaching staff regards his on- and off-field contri- butions. Over the course of his Penn State career, the 6-1, 304-pounder has shown himself to be a reliable presence in the heart of the Lions' defensive line, and he will continue to be counted upon in that capacity in his final college campaign. Like Beamon, J-Thomas is approach- ing his sixth season in the program. At a position where grown men have an op- portunity to inflict an advantage on op- ponents, this is an area where Penn State has a sneaky edge defensively going into the 2024 season. 22. Nolan Rucci | R-Jr. | OT There's a chance that Rucci might not even need until the end of the 2024 cam- paign to hold a ranking higher than his designation here. The Wisconsin trans- fer is going to play this year, regardless of the outcome of his preseason battle with Donkoh for the starting right tackle position. He might not be the favorite to emerge on top, but as preseason com- petitions go, this one has elicited a high degree of interest. Rucci has made significant strides in the weight room since arriving at Penn State in January. He was listed at 6-8, 305 pounds when he signed with PSU but was up to 317 on the roster that the Lions re- leased ahead of preseason camp. Rucci's emergence would provide a ma- jor boost to the team's outlook up front, even if his role ends up being as a backup behind Donkoh. Defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas came on strong at the end of the 2023 campaign and chose to return for his super senior season this fall. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL