2026 NFL Draft scouting report: Vega Ioane, OG, Penn State

The 2026 NFL Draft has some positions where the top prospect is up for debate, and others where it is clear-cut and has been for months. At guard, it's the latter, as Penn State's Vega Ioane has led this group throughout the pre-draft process, and with good reason.

We certainly didn't bury the lede with this one, so let's dive into this 2026 NFL Draft scouting report.

Ioane, a former three-star recruit out of Graham-Kapowsin High School in Graham, Washington, didn't even play football until his sophomore year. This story is unique, as his parents didn't even know he played until they noticed he kept missing family dinners on Fridays. He would enjoy a massive rise in the high school ranks, quickly earning a three-star ranking, committing to Washington originally but flipping to Penn State just one hour before National Signing Day in 2022.

The name of the game with Vega Ioane is pass pro. Across 600+ snaps last season, Ioane allowed zero sacks, zero QB hits, and four(!) pressures. Ioane's base is next level, allowing him to anchor and become a boulder on the line. He rarely gets walked back, and often does the walking back himself. He has some of the strongest hands in the class, and once he gets hold of you, it's game over. Massive IQ gives him the expertise to read stunts and make the right call post-snap. Tree trunk legs and massive arms. Across 16 starts in 202, he drew just three penalties, and didn't draw many more than that in 2025.

You'd like to see him become more of a mauler in the run game. His strength allows him to be servicable, but he lacks the explosivity to his game to get to the second level. The lack of acceleration is really the biggest knock on Ioane, as it also shows when asked to pull on run plays; he struggles to get out into space and find his assignment.

Vega Ioane might be the best guard prospect since Quentin Nelson back in 2018. While Ioane likely won't be drafted 6th overall like Nelson, he will immediately become the anchor for an offensive line like him. There are only three sure-fire prospects in this class, and Ioane is one of them. He earns a first-round grade and would not be surprised if he earns multiple Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods in his future.

This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: 2026 NFL Draft scouting report on Penn State G Vega Ioane