Shayne Kubas
July 23, 2024 7:17 pm ET
Penn State’s depth at offensive line will be tested this season, with three players (Olu Fashanu, Caedan Wallace, and Hunter Nourzad) selected in the 2024 NFL draft. The tackle spots vacated by Fashanu and Wallace are especially important to replace properly, and they have multiple options thanks to strong recruiting at the position in recent years.
Perhaps the most talented among them is 2023 five-star tackle J’ven Williams. Williams was the number one player in the state according to all of the major recruiting outlets. He played both guard and tackle in high school, giving him more versatility than most young players. He played sparingly in 2023 which allowed him to redshirt and preserve a year of eligibility.
Williams is projected to be the primary backup at left tackle, with junior tackle Drew Shelton slated to start. Shelton is the more experienced player, with over 750 snaps and six starts under his belt. Still, talent always wins out and Williams could see the field sooner rather than later.
Here is a look at J’ven Williams, one ofPenn State’s top 25 playersfor the 2024 season.
2023 in Review
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J’ven Williams played just 49 snaps in his true freshman season, primarily in garbage time. With so few snaps, he is still an unknown heading into 2024. With the talent ahead of him at tackle in 2023, however, not receiving significant playing time is not a concern. Now that left tackle Olu Fashanu is in the NFL, the path to a starting spot could be there for him as soon as this season.
Penn State is deep at tackle, and that was before they added Wisconsin transfer Nolan Rucci to the room this January. Even with so much talent leaving last season, Williams will have to contend with not just projected starter Drew Shelton but others as well. His pedigree as a five-star isn’t enough to guarantee him a starting job, so he will need to prove to the coaching staff that he is ready.
Biggest questions for 2024
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The biggest question for Williams in 2024 is whether he will see the field more often than as a freshman. Being a true backup gives him a chance to see plenty of snaps, as eight players got at least 189 snaps last season along the offensive line. Even if he doesn’t beat out Drew Shelton at some point during the season, I expect him to play enough to prove whether he deserved to be one of the top players in the 2023 class.
One other question that some have about Williams is whether he may be a better fit at guard. I doubt we learn anything about that possibility in 2024 though, as Penn State’s guard depth may be even better than their tackle depth.
2024 will be successful if…
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2024 will be a success for Williams as long as he plays well in whatever amount of snaps he is ultimately given. He is just a redshirt freshman and has plenty of time to claim a starting job while at Penn State, but putting good film on tape is the first step toward getting that opportunity. I have to imagine the coaching staff wants to see the talent he displayed as a recruit shine through and force their hand, but it’s not always that simple.
With Penn State looking to contend for a spot in the new College Football Playoff, they have to play the players that give them the best chance to win. Williams may have the most potential among the tackles on the roster, but until he is the best player on the field it won’t matter. That could be early in the year, or it could be not this year at all. Only time will tell.
2024 will be a disappointment if…
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Similar to how Williams can be successful in 2024, his level of play in the snaps he receives will determine if this year is a disappointment. He doesn’t need to become a full-time starter or even play at an elite level, he just needs to show that he is ready for a bigger workload in 2025 and beyond.
With the new landscape of college football, Williams could easily end up in the transfer portal if he feels the coaching staff isn’t interested in playing him. I believe in his ability to earn the playing time needed to make both himself and the coaches happy, but nothing in football is guaranteed. If Shelton holds him off all year or he plays poorly, his Penn State future could be in doubt.
Realistic outlook for 2024
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It’s difficult to assess what realistic expectations should be for any young player, but offensive linemen in particular are even harder. With Williams slated to begin the season as a backup, the only fair expectation is that he stays ready and capitalizes on every chance he gets to play. Until he earns a starting job, that’s all he can do.
The bottom line is that Williams has the potential to be one of Penn State’s most important players as early as this season, and if not then in 2025 and beyond. You don’t see many tackles with his athleticism and fluidity, and he showed more polish as a high school player than you expect to see from an offensive lineman. Now he just needs to prove that he is ready to make an impact as just a redshirt freshman.
