Why a Penn State veteran starter could be switching positions in 2025: ‘You have to be versatile’

STATE COLLEGE — Penn State has a poster of the Joe Moore Award, given to the nation’s best offensive line unit each year, plastered in the group’s meeting room. Position coach Phil Trautwein and his pupils strongly believe they can be the best in the country in 2025.

That’s born out of two major reasons: The Nittany Lions return four starters from a solid 2024 line, and there’s an increased level of depth thanks to a talented young corps and an experienced transfer.

The hardest part of Trautwein’s job this season likely won’t have anything to do with offensive line techniques — it’ll come in trying to figure out which players from his talented group will take the bulk of in-game snaps this fall.

Luckily for the fifth-year assistant, one of last year’s stalwarts is making himself an unexpected answer at more than one position.

Redshirt sophomore Anthony Donkoh, the starter for 10 games at right tackle last season before a year-ending injury, has practiced often at right guard. He both looks healthy and is getting rave reviews after bumping inside.

“He looks good. He’s working hard, taking a bunch of reps. Every team period, he’s taking the maximum reps he can take. I love the way he’s working,” Trautwein said during training camp. “He’s doing everything I asked from him, working hard, and he looks, in my mind, better than he did last year at this point. So I’m excited about what he’s done. That’s hats off to him on his preparation and how he rehabbed.”

Donkoh played strong football while healthy in 2024. He earned the third-highest grade among PSU linemen from Pro Football Focus, behind graduating senior Sal Wormley and budding superstar Vega Ioane.

But his injury gave way to Wisconsin transfer and former top Pennsylvania prospect Nolan Rucci to blossom at right tackle. Rucci was superb through the College Football Playoff, earning an 83.2 offensive grade from PFF that topped all CFP offensive linemen by a whopping six points.

Donkoh, a class of 2023 three-star from Virginia, burst onto the scene at the end of his freshman year by excelling at tackle in the Peach Bowl loss to Ole Miss. With his role potentially usurped by Rucci, the 6-5 behemoth has taken a respectable approach by both competing at right tackle and bumping inside — where he’s more likely needed.

“He’s a talented guy. He’s athletic enough to play tackle, but he’s also 323 pounds, so he’s got enough physical size, strength and power to get movement at guard,” James Franklin said. “He’s kind of what you want. You can’t get enough of those types of guys that create position flexibility.”

Donkoh, though, was first recruited to Penn State as a guard. He spent all of his freshman year at the position before now-New England Patriots lineman Caedan Wallace decided he’d only play one half of the Peach Bowl. Trautwein thrust his talented freshman into the spot, and Donkoh allowed one quarterback pressure in 46 snaps.

Trautwein compared the performance to that of New York Jets starter Olu Fashanu, who received his first career start at left tackle as a redshirt freshman in the 2021 Outback Bowl. Fashanu did not allow a single pressure en route to becoming a first-round pick in 2024.

“I know Donkoh could play both (tackle and guard) at a very high level. If not, then I wouldn’t do that. And he knows that. So he trusts me,” Trautwein said. “He knows I’m going to put him in the best situation. I’m going to make sure that he’s developing. And for offensive linemen, you have to be versatile. So he kind of looks it that way too. ‘I already played right tackle. I can also show people I can play right guard.’ ”

Trautwein and Franklin have reiterated over and over the idea that the “best five” will take the field for the season opener vs. Nevada on Aug. 30, and they’re not yet ready to designate who those five are. While it likely includes Donkoh at guard, an injury could bump Donkoh back out to tackle.

There’s even a chance he still earns the first start at tackle, and an injury or a coach’s decision bumps him in to guard. Trautwein estimated a maximum of eight, maybe nine, linemen could see the field in regular action this season.

It may take until next Monday for Trautwein to name his top group.

“Even if I maybe know (the starting five), I want them to still compete and make sure that they don’t feel like they know, so they all feel like they still have a shot,” Trautwein said. “Because that’s how we get better. Competition makes the best out of us.”

The good news? He’s got veteran leaders like Donkoh around who are both talented and selfless enough to play wherever gives Penn State the best chance to win.