Which Penn State walk-on is turning heads this summer as a 'glue guy' for the Lions?
Penn State’s offensive line will be one in transition after losing three players to the NFL Draft last spring. While the unit lost some of its top talent, Phil Trautwein’s group should be fine from a depth perspective heading into 2024.
But who in the room makes it go? Most have pointed to center Nick Dawkins as the group’s de facto leader, but he had big praise for one of his backups that carries a bigger load than expected.
“A guy that not a lot of people really talk about is Dom Rulli,” Dawkins said in a recent interview with BWI. “Dom Rulli, I would say, is a keystone for the offensive line. What he brings to the table from a player standpoint. When he gets in there at center, there’s no questions asked. He knows exactly what is going on and he makes sure that other guys know what is going on.
“From a connectivity standpoint, he’s a glue guy. He holds people together, he holds court. He’s great at that.”
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Rulli, who along with defensive back Kolin Dinkins took home one of Penn State’s Most Outstanding Run-On awards last season as a redshirt freshman, is back to provide a lift on the interior. The Kentucky native, who played his high school ball at The Taft School in Connecticut, joined the program as a walk-on in 2022.
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He played in all 13 games last season, mostly on special teams. Rulli also got some snaps late in games and was a part of the travel squad in every contest. He was the first name James Franklin brought up when asked about center depth in September.
“Rulli has been been really good for us,” sad Franklin. “We’ve been pleased with him. He’s a hard worker, [and] he continues to get bigger and stronger.”
Rulli is still among the younger players on the eligibility calendar, but he’s been looked to as a mature veteran presence for a room in transition.
“The O-Line room is very vocal. We have a clear standard as to what we expect out of our guys,” said Dawkins. “That’s to be at the best that you possibly can be and that you can control. If we sense any hint of lackadaisical effort and we sense anything within your control that you’re not doing to the best of your abilities, we’re going to call it out. We’re going to address it and be vocal about it.”
