Penn State OT Olu Fashanu is one of the best in the country, but what about the rest of the offensive line?

Olu Fashanu joined a crowded Zoom call with reporters on Tuesday, days before Penn State’s 2023 season opener against West Virginia. And interestingly enough, he didn’t talk about himself during the opening 10 minutes of the interview session.

The first eight questions to Fashanu were about his teammates.

He was asked about left guard JB Nelson, a Week 1 starter if Landon Tengwall can’t play. He was asked about right tackles Caedan Wallace and Drew Shelton, center Hunter Nourzad and right guard Sal Wormley. He was asked about Nick Singleton, Kaytron Allen and the defensive line he went up against all offseason.

Perhaps the focus on other players reflects what we already know about Fashanu — that he’s one of the best players in college football. Everyone knows Fashanu, a projected first-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft, is a sure thing. James Franklin called him a “franchise player” for an NFL team to someday build around.

Of course, that day for Penn State is now. Fashanu is the anchor of an offensive line that figures to be a strength of the team. He’s tasked with protecting Drew Allar’s blindside and opening holes for Singleton and Allen to burst through.

But Fashanu also knows the offensive line is more than him. It’s a collective effort. Here’s what the 6-foot-6, 319-pound star had to say about the linemen around him.

JB Nelson

Nelson looks like he might line up to Fashanu’s right on Saturday. Tengwall, who Franklin said is dealing with “bumps and bruises,” has missed practices over the last two weeks. He wasn’t seen in a group photo of the offensive line dinner posted by assistant coach Phil Trautwein on Monday, either.

“Everyone in the program knew how talented JB was. But this preseason he took a very big step not only in his development but everything all around,” Fashanu said. “I, alongside everyone in the program, am extremely excited for JB.”

Hunter Nourzad

Nourzad is tasked with replacing captain and center Juice Scruggs, who was selected in the second round of the 2023 draft by the Houston Texans. Scruggs was an invaluable presence last year, from both an on-field and leadership perspective.

Enter Nourzad, a redshirt senior and Cornell transfer who started eight games at guard for the Nittany Lions last year.

“Something interesting with Hunter is the amount of attention to detail he takes with everything he does in terms of his process, it’s amazing,” Fashanu said. “To have someone like him step into that center role a year after losing Juice, it’s basically been no difference in terms of production. Hunter, he stepped in and took that role that Juice had immediately. Some might think it’d be a drop off. But Hunter’s stepped up.”

Sal Wormley

Wormley, who started all 13 games at right guard last season, seems to be flying under the radar a bit. But Fashanu sees the redshirt senior for what he is.

“Sal’s a dog,” Fashanu said. “I think we have the best d-line in the country. But the way he competes against the d-tackles day in and day out, not only is he getting himself better but he’s getting the d-line better, as well. I’m excited for Sal this year. This should be a big year for not only the entire offensive line but for Sal specifically.”

Caedan Wallace, Drew Shelton

The key position battle in the trenches this offseason has been at right tackle.

Wallace is a 23-year-old fifth-year senior with 27 starts on his resume. Shelton is a sophomore who was thrust into action as a true freshman, filling in for an injured Fashanu and starting the final five games of the season.

It looks like Wallace will start on Saturday, though Fashanu didn’t give anything away there. He did, however, praise both tackles for their work this offseason.

“Caedan’s had a great preseason,” Fashanu said. “You can tell by the way he’s competing and working this camp that clearly he’s putting a lot of work into it in the offseason, and it’s shown during the preseason. … I’m extremely excited for Caedan.”

“Drew, he had a great last year filling in for me for the last portion of the year. He took that momentum with him all offseason,” Fashanu said. “He’s been playing both left and right tackle, which is good for him in terms of getting reps and his overall development. He should be a crucial part for our offensive line in terms of rotation and getting game time. Myself and the entire offensive line are extremely proud of Drew.”