All the 134 FBS programs may need to take notice of Anthony Donkoh, who sent ripples through the college football world. After a remarkable resurgence under Matt Campbell, the offensive lineman’s transformation is turning heads, but Donkoh is still looking to get better.

“There’s a lot of meat left on the bone for me,” Anthony Donkoh said Saturday at the THON Explorers Program. “I’ve not even reached my full potential. That’s really exciting, especially when the new staff coming in and talking to these guys, and these guys are great people. That’s one of the biggest reasons why I stayed. I love these guys.”

Judging from his words, 2026 is going to be an all-in season after Anthony Donkoh’s inconsistent roles. The 6’5, 320-pound junior redshirted in 2023, playing mostly at guard on the practice field. Then came the late-season position change that moved him to right tackle. He stepped in for the entire second half of the Peach Bowl against Ole Miss and held up.

Donkoh’s combination of size, flexibility to play in various positions, and veteran experience makes him a foundational piece at Penn State, especially under the new offensive system of Matt Campbell. He can become a premier Big Ten anchor and trouble the other FBS programs with his talent under Campbell’s guidance.

In 2024, Anthony Donkoh owned the right tackle job for 10 starts before a November injury ended his season. Nolan Rucci stepped in and kept that job heading into 2025. But back healthy in 2025, he shifted to right guard, starting the first four games there, then battled more injury issues and gave up snaps to TJ Shanahan. But he didn’t disappear. 

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Anthony Donkoh returned in Game 7 at Iowa, later started at right tackle against Ohio State, and finished the year bouncing between guard and tackle. He also played right tackle in the Pinstripe Bowl win over Clemson after Rucci opted out. According to Pro Football Focus, he logged 482 snaps at right guard and 195 at right tackle in 2025. Over the last two seasons, he’s made 21 starts, and that experience is valuable.

Donkoh’s former OL coach Phil Trautwein believed guard was his highest ceiling. But Donkoh didn’t quite see it that way.

“Personally, I love playing tackle,” he said. “Tackle is fun because I’m able to just play the way I want to play… At the end of the day, I was going to play whatever position that I needed to play, and I was going to play at a high level. But, for me to be myself and play the way I want to play, tackle is the best position for me.”

And now, we’re getting to the heart of it, as Donkoh sees alignment with new OL coach Ryan Clanton. The coach emphasizes using your full body and maximizing strengths, and that philosophy resonated immediately with Anthony Donkoh. He said it made him “very excited” to have conversations with the new staff. 

“I have full confidence in Coach Campbell, Coach Clanton, and the rest of the staff,” he said. “I believe they will help restore Penn State’s tradition of excellence while continuing to support my growth to be the man that God has called me to be!!!”

That confidence came after serious conversations about his future.

How Matt Campbell reassured Anthony Donkoh

This offseason forced tough decisions across the roster. Plenty of players tested the portal now that James Franklin was gone. Matt Campbell needed to show quickly who mattered in his vision, and Anthony Donkoh was a priority. 

“They made me a priority,” Anthony Donkoh revealed on Lions247. “I can see where what they have planned for us is going to take us, and where their plan for me is going to take me… These guys are great people, great humans. That’s one of the biggest reasons why I stayed.”

Matt Campbell himself identified Donkoh as a key leader in the program.

“You want to talk about who’s the leader? He’s the leader,” he said. “One of the best players here has got a chance to be one of the absolute best players in our football program.”

Ryan Clanton echoed that sentiment.

“Obviously, his football traits are off the charts,” he said. “But there’s still a lot of stuff that we have to do to make him elite, rather than just a really good college player.”

It’s a significant step for a player who arrived as a 4-star prospect but was not a top-tier recruit. Now, he is proving his ceiling is far higher than his initial ranking suggested. So yes, 134 FBS programs should take note because when a veteran lineman publicly says he’s not done improving, that’s a foundation piece coming into his own.