We’re taking a look this week at an area of need for each Big Ten team, and how the 2016 recruiting class can help with the problem. Next up are the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Biggest need for 2016: Offensive line

For the last two seasons, this group has proven to be the weak link of the entire team.

James Franklin has yet to assemble an offensive line that could pass muster in the Big Ten. G Fiume/Getty Images

Only one Power 5 squad allowed more sacks in 2014, and only four allowed more tackles for loss in 2015. Over the past two years, the Nittany Lions have surrendered 83 sacks and 191 tackles for loss.

The main reason for those struggles? Depth, a result of the NCAA sanctions. No group was hit harder. Only five healthy offensive linemen -- outside of true freshmen -- were on scholarship in 2014 and were playing at their natural positions. Penn State was also forced to convert two defensive tackles into offensive guards back then, and the pair has started a combined 31 games since.

The offensive line returned all but one regular starter in 2015, but the unit didn't show as much progress as many had hoped. The leadership at the position has since changed. Offensive line coach Herb Hand left for Auburn earlier this month and was replaced by former Minnesota offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover in an apparent upgrade.

In 2016, Penn State once again returns all but one starter. And there are now more than a dozen linemen on scholarship. Improvement is once again expected. But the questions remains: Just how much can this line progress?

How the 2016 recruiting class can help: The offensive line has been troubling coach James Franklin since he arrived in Happy Valley, but the staff has done an excellent job recruiting the position group. The only problem is that it takes time to develop those prospects as Nittany Lions’ fans have seen.

While the staff already has some young names on the roster, they are about to add a few more with four offensive line commits in this class. ESPN 300 linemen Connor McGovern and Michal Menet are the highest ranked, and they’re joined by Alex Gellerstedt and Will Fries.

The staff already has McGovern and Gellerstedt enrolled, which is a big deal for their development.