Vega Ioane grew up in the state of Washington but moved across the country to play college football at Penn State.
An All-Big Ten offensive guard for the Nittany Lions who developed into a projected first-round NFL Draft pick this year, the Baltimore Ravens kept him on the Eastern seaboard by selecting him 14th overall Thursday in Pittsburgh.
While the draft didn’t generate a relocation back to the West Coast, where he’d be closer to family and friends, the chance to compete in the AFC North came as welcome news.
“It’s exactly what I want,” Ioane told reporters via Zoom after his selection. “I don’t want to go nowhere else where it’s soft football. Football is supposed to be physical and all those types of things. That’s exactly where I think I can fit in.”
Ioane, 6-foot-4, 320 pounds, was the fourth offensive lineman chosen in Thursday’s first round and first at the guard position.
With his selection, he became the 395th player in Penn State history to be chosen in the NFL Draft and the 45th first-rounder.
Over his final 28 starts in a Penn State uniform, Ioane didn’t allow a sack. He also didn’t let up a single quarterback hit last season, allowing only four hurries with a single penalty over 613 total snaps.
The prospect of blocking for Ravens superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson and tailback Derrick Henry were among the immediate takeaways Ioane had when he began envisioning suiting up for the Ravens in the future.
However, Ioane has a workmanlike attitude when it comes to eventually getting down to business and securing a role in Baltimore.
“Everybody knows what great players those guys are, Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, all those guys,” Ioane said. “My thing is coming in and earning my keep. I’ve got to earn the right to block for those guys. That’s the way I think about things. That’s my biggest goal.”
A native of Graham, Wash., Ioane joined Penn State in 2022, redshirting that fall. As a starter in 2023, he appeared in 13 games and earned All-Big Ten honorable mention accolades.
Ioane started all 16 games in 2024 for a Penn State team that fell to Notre Dame, 27-24, in the College Football Playoff semifinal, falling just short of a shot at a national title.
Individually, Ioane earned second-team All-Big Ten honors.
This past fall saw Penn State’s football program implode and coach James Franklin fired midseason.
But Ioane, who started 11 games at left guard, was named an All-American by the Associated Press and garnered first-team All-Big Ten honors in his final collegiate campaign.
Franklin, now coach at Virginia Tech, was fast to offer congratulations to his former player.
This moment is the result of @VegaIoane17’s discipline, commitment and selflessness. You earned the right to chase your dream at the next level. Proud of you and excited to see you with @Ravens. https://t.co/bkko5qKR2U
— James Franklin (@coachjfranklin) April 24, 2026
As he gears up for the next chapter of his football career, Ioane wanted there to be no doubt as to his intentions when it comes time to put on the pads.
“When I’m on the field, nobody’s going to stand in front of me and survive,” Ioane said. “That’s my biggest mentality. I’m out there trying to move people off the ball, make them not get to my quarterback. That’s always been mentality.
“In the pass game, I’m coming in with the mentality that I’m not trying to get beat. Nobody’s going to touch my quarterback. Simple as that. Run game, same focus. I’m trying to open up lanes for the running back, protect the running back in that case and just play ball.”