Fresno State starter gets extra year of football eligibility, bolstering offensive line

Fresno State right tackle Rolan Fullwood has been granted an additional year of eligibility by the NCAA and will return next season, filling a large hole on the Bulldogs’ offensive line.

The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Fullwood had not played much football in his first four seasons at Fresno State, appearing in only five games. But he started 12 of the Bulldogs’ 13 games in his senior season and ended up as the second highest graded pass blocking tackle in the Mountain West Conference, according to Pro Football Focus. Overall, Fullwood had the fifth-highest grade among tackles in the league.

Safety Ryan Wilson also has been granted an additional year and will be back.

Wideout Josiah Freeman, who caught 52 passes for 642 yards with six touchdowns last season, was granted an additional year and announced earlier this month that he would return.

With Fullwood returning, Fresno State will have three returning starters on the offensive line next season with left guard Edward Fonua and left tackle Brayden Walton, who started all 12 of the games that he played in his true freshman season.

Fresno State, with some inconsistent play at the quarterback position, ranked only eighth in the conference in scoring offense at 25.8 points per game. But the line play was solid down the stretch — the Bulldogs won four of their final five games including a victory over Miami Ohio in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl to finish 9-4. Fresno State averaged 203.8 rushing yards per game over the final five games.

The Bulldogs rushed for 200 or more yards four times — they had 351 against Georgia Southern, 225 against Southern, 216 against Wyoming and 259 at San Jose State, all victories. That is the most games Fresno State has had with 200 or more rushing yards since 2013, when it had five. It also had four in 2019 and 2014.

Wilson was a key piece in the Bulldogs’ secondary and started seven games. He was credited with 28 tackles including 16 solo, and had 2.5 tackles for loss and one interception.

This story was originally published January 28, 2026 at 5:48 AM.