Welcome to draft season! This is the sixth of 11 positional breakdowns leading up to the NFL draft (April 27-29). Here are my top 10 interior offensive linemen:
— 1. O'Cyrus Torrence (Sr., Florida, 6-foot-5, 330 pounds)
Torrence caught my attention when he played for Louisiana, and he didn't miss a beat after transferring into the SEC, becoming a consensus All-American. His massive hands (11 1/4 inches) are almost impossible to escape once they're engaged. He hasn't allowed a sack in over 1,500 career pass-blocking snaps and he's a mauler in the run game. Projected: Round 1
— 2. John Michael Schmitz (Sr., Minnesota, 6-3, 301)
Schmitz has been one of the best offensive lineman in the nation since he became a starter back in 2019. According to Pro Football Focus, he earned a 92.4 overall grade to lead the country this season. The other centers who have played at that level have seen their talent translate well to the NFL (Frank Ragnow and Tyler Linderbaum). Projected: Rounds 1-2
— 3. Steve Avila (Sr., TCU, 6-3, 332)
Avila was a consensus All-American who has been dominant at both center (2020-2021) and left guard (2022) for the Horned Frogs. He started at least one game at four different positions over the last three seasons (every spot except left tackle) and he didn't allow a single sack his final season in Fort Worth. Projected: Rounds 2-3
— 4. Joe Tippmann (Jr., Wisconsin, 6-6, 313)
Tippman is big for a center, but he looks like a tight end on the move. He's the best pulling center in this draft class and he consistently terrorizes defenders at the second level. He'd be an asset at guard in the NFL as well. Projected: Round 2
— 5. Cody Mauch (Sr., North Dakota State, 6-5, 302)
Mauch is an impressive athlete who began his collegiate career as a 220-plus pound tight end and has developed into a 302-pound offensive tackle who is an impact player in the run and pass game. He was voted team captain as a senior and finished eighth in the voting for the 2022 Walter Payton Award (top offensive player in FCS). He only had one career start vs. an FBS opponent (Arizona in 2022) and less than ideal arm length might necessitate a move to guard in the NFL. Projected: Round 2
— 6. Anthony Bradford (Jr., LSU, 6-4, 332)
Bradford is big, strong and produced an elite 1.66-second 10-yard split at the combine. He's a grinder who has experience at right guard and left tackle (he looked much more comfortable inside). His fundamentals are a work in progress. Projected: Rounds 2-4
— 7. Luke Wypler (Jr., Ohio State, 6-2, 303)
Wypler is a bit undersized, but he's a technician who features the necessary athleticism to become a solid starter in the right scheme that utilizes his fluid movement ability. Projected: Rounds 3-4
— 8. Emil Ekiyor Jr. (Sr., Alabama, 6-2, 314)
A four-star recruit, Ekiyor was the No. 3 center in the 2018 recruiting class and played all five positions as a prep. He made 40 starts at right guard for the Crimson Tide and ended up first-team All-SEC in 2022. There are small adjustments needed to sharpen his technique, but his processing, strength and athleticism are NFL-ready. Projected: Rounds 4-5
— 9. Olu Oluwatimi (Sr., Michigan, 6-2, 309)
Oluwatimi committed to the Air Force before transferring to Virginia, initially as a walk-on before earning a scholarship. After four successful seasons with the Cavaliers, he earned his degree in economics and entered the transfer portal. He landed in Ann Arbor for his sixth season, where he became a consensus All-American and earned the Rimington Award (nation's top center), and Outland Trophy (nation's top interior lineman) on the nation's top offensive line (Joe Moore Award). There are size and athletic restraints, but it's hard to argue with his results. Projected: Rounds 4-5
— 10. Jordan McFadden (Sr., Clemson, 6-2, 303)
This three-year starter (former three-star recruit) and senior captain made double-digit starts at both tackle positions and was awarded the Jacobs Blocking Trophy (top ACC blocker) in 2022. His technique needs to be tweaked to improve inconsistent balance or maybe a move inside will do the trick. Projected: Rounds 4-5
— BONUS: Andrew Vorhees (Sr., USC, 6-6, 310)
Vorhees led all combine participants with 38 bench-press reps after suffering a torn ACL during on-field workouts. This tells me all I need to know about his competitive spirit. He was second-team All-American, first-team All-Pac 12 and received the Morris Trophy (top Pac 12 offensive lineman) in 2022. There's a long list of injuries beyond the ACL in March, but his mental and physical toughness is unimpeachable and he has starting experience at both guard positions and left tackle. Projected: Rounds 4-7
— BONUS: Chandler Zavala (Sr., NC State, 6-3, 316)
Zavala's functional strength and movement skills are prototypical for the position and he committed zero holding penalties in 17 starts at Raleigh (he previously spent three seasons at Fairmont State in Division II). There are durability concerns. He has missed time in high school and college with ankle, knee and back injuries, the later which required season-ending surgery in 2021. Projected: Rounds 4-7
— BONUS: Juice Scruggs (Sr., Penn State, 6-3, 301)
Scruggs was a team captain who started at both right guard and center the last two seasons. He's strong enough and has the football IQ to hold his own at the next level, but he could struggle with the quicker defensive linemen, especially in the run game. Medical evaluations will be paramount after he was in a serious car accident in 2019 and suffered a potentially career-threatening back injury. Projected: Rounds 4-7
— BONUS: Sidy Sow (Sr., Eastern Michigan, 6-4, 323)
Sow played handball and competed in Olympic weightlifting (110 kilos) growing up in Quebec. He ended up a five-year starter and two-time All-MAC left guard. He finished with 55 career starts, including 49 straight to finish his career (including double-digit starts at left tackle). Sow has proven patient in pass protection and comfortable on the move in the run game. Projected: Rounds 4-7
— BONUS: Jarrett Patterson (Sr., Notre Dame, 6-5, 306)
Patterson is a two-time team captain who was a four-star recruit at offensive tackle, but spent three seasons as the Irish's starting center and moved to left guard his senior season. The versatility will serve him well in the NFL, but the athletic limitations could hold him back. Projected: Rounds 5-6
— BONUS: Jaxon Kirkland (Sr., Washington, 6-6, 321)
Kirkland is a team captain and three-time, first-team All-Pac 12 at both left tackle and guard. He's light on his feet, aggressive and features prototypical size, but he'll be 25 before training camp and still has holes in his technique despite the impressive resume. Projected: PFA
