One of the areas that the NFL Draft is strongest in this spring, is along the interior of the offensive line.
In what is a relatively weak NFL draft class overall, teams are going to have multiple chances to get immediate contributors along the offensive line, both to elevate the play of young quarterbacks and open up running lanes in the seasons ahead.
One interior lineman is surging up draft boards in the closing weeks before the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft kicks off.
NFL Draft: Penn State’s Vega Ioane emerging as OG 1
NFL Draft
Dec 31, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane (71) against the Boise State Broncos during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
With the NFL Draft rapidly approaching, Penn State offensive guard Vega Ioane is cementing his status as the No. 1 offensive guard in this year’s class, according to Pro Football Focus.
“Ioane broke out in 2025, earning an 80.0 overall grade,” the PFF team writes. “Including an 87.0 pass-blocking grade that ranked 12th among 374 FBS guards. He excelled in stable pass-pro situations, grading in the 90th percentile on true pass sets and 95th percentile on five- and seven-step drops. Across 311 pass-blocking snaps, he allowed just four total hurries.”
Ioane, 6-foot-4 and 325 pounds, was a stalwart along Penn State’s offensive line and one of the most dominant linemen in the Big Ten across the past two seasons.
In an NFL landscape where elite pass protection is the ultimate currency, Ioane’s nearly flawless metrics make him a plug-and-play solution for any franchise desperate to solidify their interior.
As draft boards finalize, his rare blend of technical refinement and collegiate dominance positions him not just as a top prospect, but as the foundational anchor of a next-generation offensive line.
NFL Draft
Dec 31, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane (71) against the Boise State Broncos during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images