Depth chart breakdown: Here’s where Penn State football stands at offensive tackle in 2021

The offensive tackle spots could be strong points for the Penn State this season. The Nittany Lions have good depth on the outside and two credible starters to set the tone at left and right tackle.

After examining quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end, let’s delve into the edges of the offensive line.

Projected starters

Redshirt junior Rasheed Walker and redshirt sophomore Caedan Wallace

The Nittany Lions could have two bookends opposite each other on the offensive line if things break right in 2021. Rasheed Walker and Caedan Wallace have both displayed the type of upside at tackle to make one think that’s possible this season and both should see vast majority of starts at left and right tackle, respectively.

Walker is the more veteran of the pair but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be more consistent. The redshirt junior has made 22 career starts at left tackle — all 13 in 2019 and all nine in 2020 — with one great season and one subpar season. His 2019 campaign showed everything you would want to see in a starting tackle. He used his length and strength to keep pass rushers at bay, while also using his feet to get back inside when they tried to counter his initial contact. Walker translated his power into the running game as well, moving defenders back and driving through them with good bend at his knees.

That was not the case in 2020, when he struggled with athletic defenders who could knock his arms away and get by him when they were rushing the passer. He was still good in the running game, but much of the upside he showed in 2019 in the passing game was not there last season. He’ll need to get back to the player he was as a redshirt freshman, but if he can do that he could be a force for Penn State this year.

Wallace has appeared in 13 games in two seasons — including all nine in 2020 — and made seven starts at right tackle last year. He’s an athletic offensive lineman who can play inside or outside but has shown he can provide stability at tackle. The redshirt sophomore has excellent mobility for a lineman and uses it to get to the second level and punish defenders in the run game. Wallace is at his best when he’s getting downhill and moving players off the ball to create holes for running backs.

His pass blocking wasn’t great early in 2020 but he continued to improve at that facet of his game and should continue to do so in 2021. He’ll need to use his length better to initiate contact rather than waiting for pass rushers to make the first move. Wallace appeared stronger last season and should be even more powerful after another offseason in Penn State’s strength and conditioning program, which should help him with pass rushers who try to get through his 6-foot-5, 318-pound frame.

Key backups

Redshirt senior Des Holmes and redshirt junior Bryce Effner

The starters should be good for Penn State at tackle this year, but the ability of the backups are even more reason to believe in the group. Both backups should be able to play on either side of the line and can provide stability if they’re needed to replace Walker or Wallace. Both Des Holmes and Bryce Effner should be ready if called upon this season.

Holmes has more experience than Effner with appearances in 22 games in his career and an extra year on campus. He’s a good athlete who has added plenty of strength in his time on campus. The redshirt senior can play either right or left tackle, but is more well-suited for the right side because of his lack of ideal size for a left tackle. He can get downhill in the run game and is solid against the pass, although longer defenders can get their hands on him and disrupt his pass blocking. He would be an average to below-average starter in the Big Ten at this point — and could grow into more than that — but Holmes is perfectly suited to be a backup offensive lineman for Penn State.

Effner has more length than Holmes and has grown into the offensive line more than Holmes has. The redshirt junior wasn’t big enough to play tackle from a strength standpoint early in his career, but has since added weight and is listed at 6-foot-5, 302 pounds. He’s versatile enough to play all five offensive line spots in a pinch but his long arms make him an ideal replacement on the outside. He has good athleticism and the feet to drop into a pass blocking set on the exterior against pass rushers. While he isn’t going to run over more powerful defenders, he still has enough functional strength to get the job done in the running game when necessary. Like Holmes, he has room to improve and become a starter, but he’s well-suited for the role he’ll likely fill in his fourth year at Penn State.

Freshman to watch

Redshirt freshman Olumuyiwa Fashanu

It’s not often that young offensive linemen contribute in the Big Ten, so it should be no surprise that two tackles who redshirted — Ibrahim Traore and Olumuyiwa Fashanu — are the top options here. Neither tackle saw playing time in 2020 as true freshmen, but both have solid upside on the outside.

Fashanu gets the nod here because his build is closer to that of a prototypical tackle. The 6-foot-6, 313-pound tackle has a slight height edge over the 6-foot-5, 326-pound Traore. Fashanu has good length and has the frame to add more strength over the next year or so until he’s needed on the field for Penn State. He’ll need to continue adding weight until he has enough power to play in the Big Ten. That is still more likely to come in 2022 than 2021, but he’s in a position to capitalize on another year in the weight room.

This story was originally published June 29, 2021 at 11:14 AM.

Jon Sauber

Centre Daily Times

(814) 231-6461

Jon Sauber covers Penn State football and men’s basketball for the Centre Daily Times. He earned his B.A. in digital and print journalism from Penn State and his M.A. in sports journalism from IUPUI. His previous stops include jobs at The Indianapolis Star, the NCAA, and Rivals.