Penn State OG Olaivavega "Vega" Ioane Scouting Report
Shi-shinin' like I'm Vega Man, I smoke Vega, man
Image 1: OG Vega Ioane (71) in pass protection while facing Minnesota
Height: 6’4
Weight: 328
Position: OG
Year: (RS) Junior
Background
Image 2: OG Vega Ioane (13) during his final season at Graham-Kapowsin High School
Olaivavega “Vega” Ioane was a Three-Star IOL prospect in the class of 2022 coming out of Graham-Kapowsin High School in Graham, Washington. Standing at a massive 6’4 320 lb as a High School senior, Ioane was coveted by major P4 programs thanks to his collegiate-level size. While he initially decided to stay home and commit to Washington, Ioane ultimately flipped his commitment to Penn State.
At Penn State, Ioane had a slow start by redshirting and spot-starting for his first two collegiate seasons. Entering his (RS) sophomore season, Ioane won the starting LG job, where he would proceed to start all 16 games in Penn State’s playoff run, earning Second Team All-Big Ten honors. While Penn State’s 2025 season has been disastrous with a midseason firing of James Franklin and injury to Drew Allar, Ioane has continued to produce quality film and could be the OG1 in the 2026 NFL draft.
Athletic Tools
An incredibly broad-framed guard, Vega Ioane is unsurprisingly strong. With great core and grip strength, Ioane is a great pass protector who uses his strength and size to prevent DTs from collapsing the pocket. In the run game, Ioane’s raw power is a major asset in the run game as his strength allows him to simultaneously displace defenders while sustaining his blocks.
Video 1: OG Vega Ioane (71) takes a good first step then delivers a powerful, accurate punch
Video 2: OG Vega Ioane (71) delivers a firm outside hand punch and stalls out the DT
Video 3: OG Vega Ioane (71) works a combo block with the LT and pancakes the DT
Video 4: OG Vega Ioane (71) gets leverage, then uses his strength to open up a running lane
While he might get profiled as a power-only player, Ioane is an impressive agility athlete. Whether he is taking steps or working in space, Ioane is effective at reaching landmarks and getting into position to complete his blocking assignment. Though he is not going to be a rare testing athlete, Ioane is fluid, strong, and athletic enough to have impressive moments run blocking when in and out of open space.
Video 5: OG Vega Ioane (71) takes good steps to move gaps to execute the base block
Video 6: OG Vega Ioane (71) explodes laterally to make a difficult block in space
Video 7: OG Vega Ioane (71) climbs to the second level to seal the CB from the play
Video 8: OG Vega Ioane (71) pulls and proceeds to mirror in space with the EDGE
Though there is a lot to like about him athletically, Ioane has arm length and lower body flexibility limitations. While IOL players can get away with shorter arms, Ioane has a harder time properly getting into position to control his gap as he is more often in a leverage and/or length disadvantage. In terms of his flexibility, Ioane is not egregiously stiff, but he does play higher in his pads than he should. Due to these issues, Ioane has a shocking amount of run game lowlights where he fails to seal defenders or gets dominated by the DT.
Video 9: OG Vega Ioane (71) plays high and gets locked out by the DT which forces the RB to bounce the run outside
Video 10: OG Vega Ioane (71) plays too high in his pads which lets the DT get into position to shed his block and get a tackle
Technicals
In pass protection, Vega Ioane has textbook technique. When in man, Vega delivers quick, accurate strikes that have the power to win reps the second they land. After making contact, Vega is an active hand fighter who can reset to regain position. Vega will occasionally get out of position in pass protection, but he is effective at sinking his hips to regain his leverage. When in zone, Vega is great at using his agility to be in proper position and constantly looks for work while scanning the field.
Video 11: OG Vega Ioane (71) showcases impressive core and grip strength by sustaining his block while not collapsing into the pocket
Video 12: OG Vega Ioane (71) begins to lose ground toward the end of the snap and sinks his hips to reestablish his leverage
Video 13: OG Vega Ioane (71) scans the field while in zone and firmly punches the EDGE
While he is a phenomenal pass protector, Ioane needs to refine his run game technique. As a stiffer, stumpier OG, Ioane’s higher pad level and poor length lead to poor matchups with lower and/or longer DTs. Beyond issues that stem from his physical tools. Ioane needs to take more consistent steps when reach blocking and stop lunging when engaging blockers in space. With the occasional footwork mishap, Ioane has reps where an improper first or second step makes him miss landmarks and compromise the run concept. By attempting to play lower in space, Ioane often lunges to engage blockers which usually leads to inconsistent contact or helmet collisions.
Video 14: OG Vega Ioane (71) takes a poor first step on his reach block and lets the EDGE shed his block for a TFL
Video 15: OG Vega Ioane (71) leans forward when pulling which leads to him whiffing the contact and letting the EDGE occupy the gap
Video 16: OG Vega Ioane (71) leans forward while pulling, hitting the EDGE with the crown of his helmet, and failing to get into position to seal the defender from the RB
Although he does have technical issues that affect his game, Ioane is far from a poor run blocker. By being big and fluid, Ioane remains effective in using his quickness to win angles on blocks and utilize his size to drive defenders out of gaps. Ioane likely will not be a high-end run blocker due to his limitations, but Ioane’s ability to work in space and move defenders will still allow him to still make key blocks in the run game.
Video 17: OG Vega Ioane (71) wins the inside shoulder on his down block and drives the DT out of the gap
Video 18: OG Vega Ioane (71) drives hard on his second step to reach his landmark and execute the reach block
Draft Projection
Vega Ioane currently has a second round grade. While he is not the flashiest prospect, Ioane provides an immediate starter at OG who has enough physical traits to develop into one of the better OGs in the NFL. Though he will take losses in the run game before he develops as a run blocker, Ioane’s athleticism, size, and technique will let him immediately be one of the best pass-protecting OGs in the NFL as a rookie.
Athletic Testing
Will be updated after the NFL Combine/Penn State Pro Day
Pro Comparison
Image 3: OG Will Hernandez (76) in a three-point stance for the Arizona Cardinals
With both being stockily built, stumpy OGs with impressive quickness, Vega Ioane reminds me a lot of Will Hernandez. While the former All-American from UTEP was a complete liability for the New York Giants, Hernandez has quickly turned his career around with his time with the Arizona Cardinals. Before his recent ACL tear, Hernandez quietly became one of the better OGs in football. Though he hopefully does not have the same early career struggles, Ioane is a player I believe can be very similar to Will Hernandez during his early tenure with the Arizona Cardinals.
Date Published: 10/23/2025
Date Last Updated: 10/23/2025