Penn State football is back on the practice field in early August for fall camp, and there are a few positions head coach Matt Campbell must pay extra attention to before the regular season kicks off.
One of those positions is left tackle. The offensive line as a whole underwent a massive overhaul with multi-year starters who built chemistry with one another over the years headed off to the NFL after 2025.
While a few new faces will be out there in the trenches for the Nittany Lions, fans are rallying behind a certain tackle to win the starting spot.
According to Zach Seyko, Campbell spoke about the left tackle position during a radio interview. He reportedly said that it will be a position battle worth watching.
Penn State HC Matt Campbell tells Jeff Byers on his radio show that left tackle will be a camp battle to watch.
— Zach Seyko (@zach_seyko) July 21, 2026
Campbell did not name anyone specifically, but Malachi Goodman, Owen Aliciene, Garrett Sexton will most likely all factor into that spot.
Though Campbell didn't go in depth as to which players are in the mix for that starting spot, there are clear contenders, including Malachi Goodman.
Goodman redshirted his true freshman season in 2025, but his absence from Saturdays wasn't indicative of his talent, strength, or ability. During practices, Goodman took his time improving bit by bit facing former Penn State defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton.
After deciding to return to Happy Valley despite the departure of former head coach James Franklin, Goodman's dedication and hard work might pay off immediately.
"Goodman is one of the most talented guys I've ever seen with my own two eyes," offensive coordinator/tight ends coach Taylor Mouser told 247Sports in the spring.
The lineman was a four-star composite prospect from the 2025 class, ranked No. 37 nationally and No. 6 at tackle, per Rivals Industry. He was also ranked as a five-star recruit by 247Sports.
Though Goodman doesn't focus on what kind of prospect he was coming out of high school, it's hard to ignore from an outside perspective. At 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds, Goodman is built for his role and has improved his speed over the past year.
According to Nittany Sports Now, he's taken reps at both left and right tackle, but it would be shocking if Goodman wasn't help anchoring quarterback Rocco Becht's left side come the 2026 season.
Owen Aliciene and Garrett Sexton are also in contention for that starting spot. Aliciene made one appearance as a true freshman in 2025 and Sexton played in all 13 games as a redshirt freshman. Both were also four-star recruits out of high school in their respective classes.
Despite having even just a bit of experience compared to Goodman who didn't see the field once, Goodman is the guy to beat this fall. He's impressed Campbell, Mouser, and offensive line coach Ryan Clanton, and he's not done improving yet either. With his frame and power, the Nittany Lions are in good shape at left tackle.
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