Penn State's Offensive Depth Chart Has a Distinctly Iowa State Flavor

A look at the Nittany Lions' projected two-deep on offense, which several former Cyclones will lead.

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Rocco Becht throws a pass during the Blue-White spring practice at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Penn State coach Matt Campbell said that his offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser has a "fearlessness" about calling plays. Mouser also has a text thread going with several prominent NFL assistants, including Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, with whom he worked at Iowa State.

Mouser has said he wants to bring flavors of the NFL to Penn State's offense next season, which no doubt will include a power run game and plenty of two tight-end formations. But what will the personnel look like?

As it begins summer drills, Penn State has a pretty good idea about the offensive depth chart. In part because much of it played for Campbell and Mouser at Iowa State last season. But there are still some position battles that will ride through training camp and several newcomers who will emerge. One might be a freshman receiver.

Here's a look at our projected Penn State offensive two-deep, with transferred players indicated with an asterisk.

Projected Penn State 2026 offensive depth chart

Position	First Team	Second Team
Quarterback	*Rocco Becht (Sr.)	*Alex Manske (Fr.)
Running Back	*Carson Hansen (Sr.)	*James Peoples (Jr.)
Left Tackle	Malachi Goodman (Fr.)	Owen Aliciene (Fr.)
Left Guard	*Trevor Buhr (Jr.)	*Vaea Ikakoula (Fr,)
Center	*Brock Riker (So.)	Dominic Rulli (Sr.)
Right Guard	Cooper Cousins (Jr.)	Will Tompkins (Fr.)
Right Tackle	Anthony Donkoh (Jr.)	Garrett Sexton (So.)
Tight End	*Ben Brahmer (Sr.)	Andrew Rappleyea (So.)
Wide Receiver	*Chase Sowell (Sr.)	*Zay Robinson (Fr.)
Wide Receiver	*Brett Eskildsen (Jr.)	*Karon Brookins (Fr.)
Wide Receiver	Koby Howard (Soph.)	Amarion Jackson (Fr.)

Penn State offensive roster notes

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Carson Hansen runs with the ball during the Blue-White spring practice at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

As many as five projected Penn State starters on offense wore Iowa State uniforms last season. That's one reason Penn State is getting some lingering looks about being a College Football Playoff contender.

Quarterback Rocco Becht has his top rusher (Carson Hansen) and five of his top six receivers along for the ride at Penn State, which is alternately comforting and cause for pause. The Cyclones ranked 11th in the Big 12 in scoring (ninth in total offense) last season, though injuries no doubt were a factor.

Still, the skill positions have promise. Becht ranked as ESPN's No. 6 newcomer this season, though he's new only to Penn State. Becht is a three-year starter with more than 2,500 career snaps and 9,200 career passing yards and quickly became the offense's headmaster.

Tight end Ben Brahmer should be Penn State's next high-round draft pick at the position, while fellow Iowa State transfer Gabe Burkle (when healthy) could be even better. The Nittany Lions are rich at tight end, particularly if Andrew Rappleyea returns healthy, and continue to have a long-term future at the position.

Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Ben Brahmer runs with the ball during the Blue-White spring practice at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

The power run game Penn State defines as its identity will be shaped by Hansen, Ohio State transfer James Peoples and returning back Quinton Martin Jr. That's likely a three-for-two set of backs, and we have Hansen and People atop the depth chart heading into the summer. But Martin got bigger during a compelling spring in which he built on the Pinstripe Bowl successes and will make a strong case to be part of the rotation.

Chase Sowell and Brett Eskildsen arrived at Penn State knowing nothing about the recent issues the program has had at wide receiver. Campbell vowed to change that, as has receivers coach Kashif Moore, who guided UConn's Skyler Bell to becoming a Biletnikoff Award finalist last year.

Sowell and Eskildsen, who combined to top 1,000 receiving yards at Iowa State last season, have big-play potential. Sowell describes himself as a vertical threat, and Eskildsen competes for the roster's fastest-player designation. He said he has reached 22 mph in speed measurements.

Sophomore Koby Howard will play behind, and occasionally alongside, Sowell and Eskildsen, but the positional depth dips from there. Zay Robinson and Karon Brookins, both Iowa State transfers, are developmental prospects, as is returning wideout Lyrick Samuel. Keith Jones Jr. got some run last year at Grambling, catching 32 passes.

One freshman receiver to watch is Amarion Jackson, who surprisingly made ESPN's list of the top 100 newcomers in college football. Jackson committed to Iowa State as a receiver and enrolled at Penn State as a safety. He moved back to receiver before spring drills and played so well, Campbell asked him to stay.

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Connor Barry (17) looks on from the field during the Blue-White spring practice at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Depth-chart questions? Who's the No. 2 quarterback? Alex Manske didn't practice this spring after transferring from Iowa State, where he didn't practice last spring, either. That opened plenty of reps for Division III transfer Connor Barry, who won Campbell's affection with his performance. But Penn State faces a significant dropoff at quarterback after Becht.

Meanwhile, the offensive line finished spring drills with a fairly certain starting lineup that also has questions. Chief among them: How will redshirt freshman Malachi Goodman, the only 5-star recruit of Penn State's 2025 class, respond as the starting left tackle after not playing last season?

Also, how will center Brock Riker, who had a terrific season at Texas State, respond to the jump in weight class? And how will right tackle Anthony Donkoh respond to 1) not practicing this spring and 2) returning to tackle after playing guard in 2025?

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