Building His Future on the Fresno State Bulldogs Offensive Line
From El Diamante High School to Fresno State University, offensive lineman Marsel Akins is developing his college football career through preparation, competition, and a foundation of high school achievements. His early journey reflects the demands of progressing from a recognized recruit to a contributor in a Division I football program.
Football often celebrates the players who score touchdowns, make spectacular catches, or deliver game-changing defensive stops. Less visible, but equally important, are the offensive linemen responsible for creating opportunities and protecting the quarterback. Their work requires coordination, strength, discipline, and consistent execution.
Marsel Akins occupies that demanding position with the Fresno State Bulldogs. Wearing jersey No. 73, the offensive lineman entered college football after earning recognition at El Diamante High School in Visalia, California. His recruitment reflected promise, while his first two seasons at Fresno State marked the beginning of his transition into the college game.
Akins' documented career is still developing. His college record includes a redshirt season in 2024 and two game appearances in 2025, when he contributed on special teams. Those milestones provide a factual foundation for understanding his progress without overstating his accomplishments.
For Akins, the central story is the transition from high school recognition to the continuing work of competing at the collegiate level. His next achievements will depend on the opportunities he earns and the progress he demonstrates as his career advances.
- Full Name: Marsel Akins
- Sport: American football
- Position: Offensive lineman
- Jersey Number: 73
- Height: 6 feet, 3 inches
- Weight: 285 pounds
- Hometown: Tulare, California
- High School: El Diamante High School
- College: Fresno State University
- Current Team: Fresno State Bulldogs
- Listed Class: Sophomore
- College Career: Began in 2024
- Academic Major: Criminology, with an emphasis in corrections
Akins' football background is rooted in the Central Valley, beginning in Tulare, California, and continuing through El Diamante High School in nearby Visalia. He is the son of Liza Wheeler and grew up alongside three siblings. Outside of his intense training schedule on the gridiron, Akins spent his personal time establishing hobbies standard to the region, explicitly enjoying fishing as a primary recreation.
He played three varsity football seasons under head coach Devin Ramos, steadily developing his physical capabilities and technique as an offensive lineman. His high school athletic experience extended beyond football, as Akins also participated as a multi-sport athlete on El Diamante’s track and field and wrestling teams.
Beyond athletics, Akins established a documented history of community investment. During his senior year, he completed over 100 hours of volunteer community service, showcasing a measurable dedication to personal development outside of the varsity sports arena.
Akins earned meaningful regional recognition during his high school career. He was named the 2023 All-East Yosemite League Offensive Lineman of the Year and received first-team all-league honors as an offensive lineman. Evaluated as a three-star recruit, he was ranked No. 111 nationally among offensive tackle prospects in the 2024 recruiting class and the No. 106 overall recruit in the state of California.
His performance caught the attention of multiple Division I programs, earning him official athletic scholarship offers from Utah State, Colorado State, Nevada, and Washington State. Ultimately, Akins chose to be a Bulldog because it was close to home, allowing him to pursue his collegiate goals near his family.
He joined the Bulldogs program in 2024, beginning the heavy adjustment to the physical and tactical demands of the Mountain West Conference. His true freshman season was a standard redshirt year, preserving a season of eligibility while allowing him to adapt to the collegiate strength program.
The following season brought his first recorded playing time. In 2025, taking the field as a redshirt freshman, Akins appeared in two contests against high-profile opponents Kansas and Colorado State, serving as a reliable special-teams contributor in those games. That participation marks a key evolutionary step from a developmental player to a trusted in-game asset.
At 6 feet, 3 inches and 285 pounds on Fresno State's 2026 roster, Akins has the listed physical dimensions of a college offensive lineman. His position places him in a unit responsible for supporting the offense through blocking assignments, coordinated movement, and protection.
Offensive line play depends on much more than size. Players must understand assignments, communicate with teammates, respond to defensive alignments, and execute blocks within the structure of each play. Consistency is essential because a missed assignment can disrupt an entire offensive sequence.
Akins' established accomplishments begin with his high school honors. His 2023 league award, first-team all-league recognition, and three-star recruiting status are the principal documented distinctions in his football profile.
His college milestones include joining Fresno State in 2024, redshirting that season, and appearing in two games in 2025 as a redshirt freshman. He remained listed on the Bulldogs' 2026 roster as a sophomore offensive lineman wearing No. 73.
Akins' college profile identifies criminology, with an emphasis in corrections, as his academic field. This establishes an educational interest alongside his football commitments.
His documented community service during high school also deserves recognition. Completing more than 100 volunteer hours in his senior year provides a specific, verifiable example of participation outside athletics.
As of the 2026 roster, Akins remains a member of the Fresno State Bulldogs. The university lists him at 6 feet, 3 inches and 285 pounds, with sophomore status.
His future role on the team remains to be established through subsequent competition. Additional game appearances, offensive-line opportunities, and measurable contributions would provide stronger evidence of his development.
Akins' long-term impact cannot yet be determined from his early college record. His high school recognition demonstrates that he entered Fresno State with established credentials, while his appearances in 2025 document his initial experience in college competition.
For now, his story is one of continued development rather than an established legacy. His progress will be measured by future opportunities, performance, and the role he ultimately earns within the Bulldogs' program.
Marsel Akins has taken the documented steps from a recognized high school offensive lineman to a developing member of Fresno State's football program. His league honors, recruiting evaluation, scholarship offers, redshirt season, and early game appearances establish the foundation of his collegiate journey.
The available evidence does not yet support claims of major college statistics, individual offensive-line dominance, or a defined long-term legacy. What it does establish is a young athlete continuing his football career at the Division I level while pursuing an academic field and carrying forward the experience gained at El Diamante High School.
His next chapter will be written through what happens on the field. As his college career continues, future performances will provide the clearest measure of how he develops and what he contributes to the Fresno State Bulldogs.
