OL
Redshirt Freshman
Young Iowa State transfer offensive lineman with Campbell-system familiarity. Tompkins should be described as developmental depth and evaluated by 2026 practice and game usage rather than assumed starting value.
Will Tompkins is a developmental offensive lineman who came from Iowa State with Matt Campbell's staff. Penn State lists him as a redshirt freshman, so his value should be viewed through roster construction and long-term offensive line depth rather than immediate proven production.
The important context is that Tompkins already has time in the Campbell program. For a young lineman, that can matter because terminology, run-game rules, protection calls, and practice expectations are often more difficult to transfer than simple measurables. It does not make him a finished Big Ten starter, but it does reduce the amount of system translation required.
For the 2026 depth chart, Tompkins should be treated as an interior/offensive line competition piece. He gives Penn State another large body in a room that has to replace NFL talent and sort out guard, center, and tackle depth under a new staff.
The right watch point is whether he earns second-unit work, special-teams field goal protection assignments, or late-game snaps. Until those usage signals appear, the page should avoid overstating him beyond developmental depth.