Olaivavega Ioane 2026 NFL Draft: scouting report for Penn State, OG

Everything you need to know about the Penn State star OG’s game, from pros and cons to a pro player comparison ahead of the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft.

Kyle Crabbs — NFL National Writer

Jan 25, 2026 12:49 PM EST

Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane — Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Height: 6-4
Weight: 330
Year: Redshirt Junior
Pro Comparison: Kelechi Osemele

2026 NFL Combine Results

Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State, OG

Hand Size: N/A
Arm Length: N/A
40-Yard Dash: N/A
Vertical Leap: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
3-Cone: N/A

Pros of Olaivavega Ioane

He’s got a terrific base and consistent framing of blocks, particularly in pass protection
Offers a strong anchor and grip stretch to seize control of rushers and sit down to protect the depth of the pocket
Has consistent leg drive to churn the point of attack and create displacement
Offers good eyes and quick processing ability for second level pressures or secondary threats when left uncovered
Heavy hands offset up field charge from pass rushers

Cons of Olaivavega Ioane

Can be overaggressive at times with his hands and get over-extended, breaking down his posture and falling off of blocks as a result
Despite his “creative” alignments at Penn State, I don’t foresee positional flexibility in his future at the pro level
Appears to lack anything more than sufficient agility in short spaces that force him to flash and react late

Background

Olaivavega “Vega” Ioane is from Graham, WA and got a late start in football — he did not play competitive football until high school. He would go on to be ranked as a 3-star recruit (247Sports) and eventually enrolled at Penn State after a brief commitment to the University of Washington. Ioane redshirted his true freshman season with the Penn State program in 2022 before seizing a starting role in 2023 with five starts. By 2024, Ioane was a full-time starter and named Second-Team All-Big Ten. 2025 was Ioane’s best season to date; as he was credited with just four pressures and named First-Team All-Big Ten & First-Team All-American.

Ioane declared for the 2026 NFL Draft with one year of college eligibility remaining.

Player Evaluation

Ioane is an overall good athlete with top-tier core strength, hand power, and anchor ability. He’s capable of uprooting and displacing the point of attack but also showcases sufficient range to play in space or climb to the second level. It’s easy to appreciate the strength elements of his game when you watch him erase defenders with a clean hand fit on their frames.

This can come from solo blocks, combinations, or trying to sit down pass rushers who test him down the middle. Ioane has great grip strength and pretty consistent punch placement and timing, allowing him to consistently win at first contact. He stays light on his feet to slide and mirror in protection and can effortlessly drop his hips and absorb power.

As a run blocker, he can get overextended and eager for contact at times, these instances do betray what is otherwise good spatial awareness and cause him to overset and be forced into recovery. Because of his stature, his late movement skills and lateral redirection ability do not afford him an eraser for errors early in reps. He moves well for a big-bodied blocker in short area lateral agility moments but he’s not he most nimble player in these opportunities and would be better served to execute with discipline.

Ioane projects as an immediate starter at the NFL level at guard and he showcases strong refinement and football intellect to process games within the front or late changes to the blocking surface at the snap. He’s physically matured to handle the rigors of blocking pro defenders and could be a long-term starter for a team across multiple contracts in his NFL career.