Day one of the 2026 NFL Draft couldn't be closer, which means so is former Penn State football guard Olaivavega Ioane's future.
Ioane is the only former Nittany Lion who is practically a guaranteed first-round pick. Since the start of mock draft season, he's been a consistent name popping up around the middle of Round 1, especially for the Baltimore Ravens.
His skill and size are things some NFL teams can't pass up on, and NFL analyst and former scout Louis Riddick of ESPN made note of that. As he went through his favorite prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft, he named five players in specific who he views as "surefire stars in Round 1."
Louis Riddick says guard Olaivavega Ioane is a "must-have foundational player" in the trenches
That list included running back Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame), linebacker Sonny Styles (Ohio State), wide receiver Jordyn Tyson (Arizona State), wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (Indiana), and Ioane.
"At its core, football is about dominant, physical play along the lines of scrimmage. And there was nobody in college football last season who had more snaps of impose-your-will play along the offensive line than Ioane. He is an absolute tank at 320 pounds, and he has the versatility to line up anywhere on the line. Ioane plays with power, agility, speed and a level of nastiness when finishing blocks that is truly unique," Riddick wrote.
"Any front office that believes in building from the inside out and staying strong down the middle -- something I have talked about for the past decade -- should see Ioane as a must-have foundational player."
Offensive lineman don't always get the spotlight in the draft, so to be labeled as a "must-have" by an analyst and former scout is already a huge accomplishment.
It's unlikely that Baltimore passes up on a player of Ioane's caliber on the offensive line. At skill positions, the Ravens are pretty secure where they don't need to use their first-round pick on a player like that. In addition to having more security in those areas, there isn't enough depth at those positions to forgo an obvious beast at guard.
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