NFL scouts flocked to midfield inside of Holuba Hall the moment the whistle blew and offensive line drills kicked off at Penn State's Pro Day. **[Vega Ioane](https://247sports.com/Player/Olaivavega-Ioane-46085718)** was, fittingly, the star of the show and delivered a performance that served as a strong reminder of why he has blossomed into a potential first-round pick with the 2026 NFL in Pittsburgh inching closer by the day.
Ioane signed with Penn State late in the 2022 recruiting cycle and immediately caught the eye of many in State College with his massive frame and flashes of high-level potential. It didn't take Ioane long to realize that potential, coupling his raw strength and athleticism to become one of Penn State's best and most consistent offensive linemen over the last few years.
Now, it's off to the professional ranks, where teams are salivating over what Ioane could add to the interior of their offensive line. Taking an interior lineman early in a draft typically isn't viewed as the "sexy" pick in NFL circles, but it is often one that shapes an offensive line and leads to success up front.
Ioane has true anchor potential in the trenches and continued to showcase that throughout Wednesday morning following a standout performance at the NFL draft combine, which sent an already-rising stock soaring further.
**WATCH: [Penn State Pro Day highlights of quarterback Drew Allar ahead of 2026 NFL draft](https://247sports.com/college/penn-state/article/penn-state-pro-day-highlights-drew-allar-qb-quarterback-2026-nfl-draft-278155635/)**
"I showed a lot over in Indy during the combine, but it was just here to, you know, reinforce that," Ioane told reporters. "Showing that what I did at the combine wasn't just a one time thing. I could do it whenever I need to do it.
"It's definitely been crazy. You know, being highly regarded as a first round pick still don't know until draft day comes around, but it feels good that in all the work I put in, it's it's getting closer and closer."
Training has been at the forefront of the equation since Ioane put the pads on at Penn State for the final time. Dallas functioned as home base for the last three months and the focus was on fine-tuning the skill set wherever possible before the combine. Ioane accomplished a lot during his time at Penn State and pieced together a strong final season with the program, but approached his training with zero complacency and a burning desire to keep making strides in his development.
"It was just like, you know, getting better in my game as an O-Lineman," Ioane said. "Just learning little things that I put into my toolbox. It was all-around (training). Run game, pass game, anything like that. Worked on my sets a lot. My hands, my feet."
Ioane recently returned to State College and will remain in town leading into the early days of April. Ioane has trained with fellow Penn State offensive linemen Nick Dawkins and Nolan Rucci since making it back to Happy Valley. It's possible he remains in Pennsylvania to attend the draft, but those plans are not yet set in stone.
Regardless of whether Ioane heads to Pittsburgh and takes the stage to shake NFL commissioner Roger Goodell's hand after he is picked or watches from home in Washington, he is now laser-focused on maintenance and being ready to hit the ground running with the team that ultimately drafts him.
"Just keeping the body right," Ioane said. "Keeping myself ready for, you know, whatever team picks me up. Just keeping myself ready."