Next up in The Floor Slap’s 2023 Unit Rankings: the offensive line. Michigan once again boasts the top offensive line in the Big Ten – and probably the country. But Wisconsin is not far off from them.
Ohio State and Penn State are the only other teams to receive a grade above a B in the Big Ten. Although there are still some great offensive lines behind them, there are either big pieces that need to be replaced or continuity concerns from so many new arrivals.
But almost every team in the conference has a legitimate reason to believe their offensive line play will improve in 2023. The Big Ten consistently boasts some of the best offensive lines & NFL prospects in the entire country and this season should be no different.
1) Michigan
The Wolverines are back-to-back winners of the Joe Moore Award – given to the best offensive line in college football – and there is little reason to believe they can’t duplicate that production in 2023.
Michigan returns three starters from last year’s offensive line – LG Trevor Keagan, RG Zak Zinter, and RT Karsen Barnhardt. Keagan, entering his 5th year, was Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2021 and 1st-team All Big Ten last season. Zinter, widely regarded as one of the best interior linemen in the country, was 1st-team All Big Ten last year and 2nd-team in 2021. Barnhardt was Big Ten Honorable Mention last season after starting 10 games. He’s likely to earn the starting RT position this season, but could be pushed by 2019 4-star Trente Jones or Stanford transer Myles Hinton.
For the second straight year, Michigan replenished its lost talent with huge additions via the transfer portal. Drake Nugent transfers from Stanford after being their starting center for the past two seasons, earning Pac-12 Honorable Mention both years. PFF graded him as the 23rd-best center in college football last season. Nugent may not be able to completely replace All-American Olu Oluwatimi, but this pickup ensures the Wolverines will once again have a ferocious interior line.
Michigan’s other big addition was LaDaris Henderson from Arizona State. Henderson is versatile, starting 19 games at LG and 10 at LT for the Sun Devils. He projects to take the other tackle spot this season – a position of great depth for Michigan. If injuries pop up in the interior line, Henderson should have no problem moving over and allowing Jones or Hinton to step in at LT.
With some big additions, great experience, and good depth, Michigan just might have the best offensive line in college football yet again.
Grade: A+
2) Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s offensive line struggled for the first half of 2022 which resulted in the departure of OL coach Mike Markuson. But with a new coaching staff, tons of returning experience, and a key transfer portal addition, the Badgers should get back to dominant offensive line play in 2023.
Jack Nelson is one of the most dominant linemen in all of college football and returns for a 3rd year at LT. The undisputed leader among this group, Nelson started 25 games over the past two seasons. Next to him at LG is another experienced, dominant lineman in Tanor Bortolini. Bortolini, who offers great versatility by also being able to play center, allowed only 1 sack in 10 starts last season.
On the right side of the line, 6th-year Michael Furtney should start at guard. Despite appearing in 44 career games, Furtney entered the transfer portal back in December. But since withdrawing and returning to Madison, he seems to have secured the #1 spot at RG.
Right tackle might be the biggest question mark for the Badgers. Riley Mahlman won the starting job last year but missed the season after an injury in the opener which left him hobbled for the rest of the year. He’ll be pushed by Trey Wedig – another versatile lineman who started 5 games at tackle and 3 at guard in 2022.
One of the least talked about transfer pickups in the country was Wisconsin’s addition of cetner Jake Renfro from Cincinnati. He was an All-American in 2021 on the Bearcats’ way to the CFP. Renfro missed all of last season and the majority of the spring due to injury, but should be 100% heading into fall camp. If he can regain his 2021 form, this Wisconsin offensive line will be tough for anyone to match up against.
Grade: A
3) Ohio State
The Buckeyes’ offensive line has perhaps the most uncertainty out of any team here in the top 5, but most certainly has the talent to make up for it.
Gone are tackles Paris Johnson & Dawand Jones and center Luke Wypler. But Ohio State returns two of the best guards in the country in Donovan Jackson and Matthew Jones. In his redshirt freshman season in 2022, Donovan Jackson was a top-10 interior lineman per PFF. Jones, meanwhile, was the highest graded run-blocker Ohio State has had in nearly a decade.
The loss of Wypler at center was definitely unexpected and a tough loss for Ohio State to endure. But there are plenty of options left to pick from. Upperclassmen Enokk Vimahi and Jakob James were expected to be the favorites for the job, but redshirt freshman Carson Hinzman got rave reviews from the coaches throughout the spring. Hinzman was a 4-star prospect and consensus top-10 IOL. The Buckeyes also added Victor Cutler Jr from Louisiana Monroe where he mainly played tackle. But his size at 6’3″ 295lbs likely translates to the interior line at this level of college football.
Jackson or Jones may end up moving from guard to center given the depth the Buckeyes have along the interior. No matter who ends up at center, Ohio State is sure to have great interior line play and depth.
Tackle is a little more up in the air. Josh Fryar – OSU’s first lineman off the bench last year – got some valuable experience at tackle last season and played well when called upon. He is the overwhelming favorite to take the LT job.
Right tackle is likely between Tegra Tshabola and San Diego State transfer Josh Simmons. Tshabola was a 4-star and top-50 prospect in last year’s class. Simmons started all 13 games at LT last season for the Aztecs. He was far from perfect, as he accounted for 17 penalties. But Ohio State OL coach Justin Frye said there was a lot to like about his film. And at 6’6″ 305lbs, he has the physical tools required to excel at the position.
Right tackle remains a big question mark for the Buckeyes heading into 2023. But an elite interior and plenty of depth should make for a great Ohio State offensive line.
Grade: A-
4) Penn State
Perhaps the biggest NFL decision in all of college football came from LT Olumuyiwa Fashanu. Fashanu, who was projected to be a top-10 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, forwent the NFL for another year in Happy Valley. He is the undisputed top tackle prospect heading into 2023.
The Nittany Lions also return their starting RT in Caeden Wallace. Wallace started all 13 games at RT in 2021 and was having a great season last year before a mid-season injury cost him the rest of the year. But his injury allowed true freshman Drew Shelton to gain valuable experience, establishing solid depth behind Fashanu and Wallace.
Penn State did take a big hit with the loss of two-year starting center Juice Scruggs. The battle for his replacement appears to be between Hunter Nourzad, Nick Dawkins, and Vega Ioane. Nourzad, who transferred from Cornell before last season, earned Big Ten Honorable Mention by starting 8 games at guard and center. Dawkins hopes to see his first meaningful play time after earning a high 3-star grade in the 2020 class. Ioane – a 3-star in last year’s class – is a monster at 6’4″ 365lbs and impressed coaches in the spring. Whoever wins the job may not be able to top Scruggs’ production, but there is ample depth in the case of injury.
The Nittany Lions also return their top two guards in Landon Tengwall and Sal Wormley. Tengwall started the first 5 games of the season before missing the rest due to injury. Wormley started all 13 games at RG and earned Big Ten Honorable Mention.
Penn State’s offensive line made massive strides last year after struggling in 2021. Although there is still room for improvement along the interior of the offensive line, the Nittany Lions should be able to rely on some of the country’s best tackle play. This unit should take another step forward in 2023.
Grade: A-
5) Illinois
Illinois enters 2023 with a few of the best offensive linemen in the conference. Isaiah Adams returns as the anchor at left guard. A highly-touted JUCO transfer entering last season, Adams started all 13 games (12 at guard, 1 at tackle) for the Illini and earned 3rd team All Big Ten. However, it might not be out of the question for Adams to move over to LT this season if no one else steps up. He has the experience and size at 6’6″ 315lbs to be an NFL-caliber tackle.
The other two positions that appear solidified are left tackle and right guard. Zy Crisler – also a 2021 JUCO transfer – started all 13 games at guard for Illinois last year. Julian Pearl enters his 6th season after starting 36 career games at tackle. Both earned Big Ten Honorable Mention last year and have All Big Ten potential in 2023.
The trio of Adams, Crisler, and Pearl immediately make this offensive line one of the better units in the conference. But the C and LG positions (assuming Adams switches to LT this season) is not quite as secure.
Josh Kreutz seems penciled in to be Minnesota’s next center. He was a 3-star FB coming out of high school and has predominantly played on special teams over his first two seasons, but played well in the spring and appears to have the confidence of coaches, teammates, and fans.
Jordyn Slaughter looks like the 5th starter. He is entering his 6th year and offers decent experience with 19 game appearances. Although he was a tackle coming out of high school, his two career starts are at guard and the position better suits his size at 6’5″.
Illinois’ main issue is depth. Outside of the presumed starting 5, there is almost no game experience on this roster. They did add JUCO transfer Will Leys from Saddleback College, but he was an unranked prospect and does not project as a starter.
The center position is a little concerning, as Illinois will likely be relying on someone who hasn’t played the position before. But if Isaiah Adams moves to LT and allows Jordyn Slaughter to step up at LG, this could shape out to be another great offensive line. That is, if everyone stays healthy. If the injury bug hits this offensive line unit, Illinois’ season could spiral real quickly. But in the case this unit stays healthy, Illinois should be in Big Ten West Title contention come November.
Grade: B
6) Minnesota
The Gophers must replace the entirety of their interior line, headlined by 4-year starter and All-American center John Michael Schmitz. Needless to say, it’s going to be hard to expect Minnesota to replicate its production in 2023.
On the bright side, Aeireontae Ersey is a great foundational piece at LT. The 6’6″ 325lb redshirt sophomore started all 13 games last year and earned Big Ten Honorable Mention. Minnesota’s other returner is former Notre Dame transfer Quinn Carroll. Carroll was a highly-touted transfer last off-season and started all season at RT for the Gophers. He wasn’t great in pass protection so he is expected to make the move to guard this season.
With the RT spot now open, the position seems to be between Martes Lewis and JJ Guedet. Lewis stands at 6’7″ 325lbs and saw his first action as a redshirt freshman last season. Appearing in every game last season, Lewis appears to be the early favorite to take the job. But he will be pushed by 5th-year Guedett. He’s appeared in only 10 games across his 4 seasons, but at the very least offers leadership for a relatively inexperienced unit. I feel confident that either Lewis or Guedet will develop into a reliable tackle this season.
There are three inexperienced players vying for the left guard and center spots: Nathan Boe, Karter Shaw, and Tyler Cooper. Boe started the Pinstripe Bowl vs Syrcause in the 2022 finale (his 2nd career start), but the Minnesota offense only mustered 77 rush yards on 2.3 yards per rush. Karter Shaw was at Utah State from 2018-20, being a consistent starter for his final two seasons there. But he’s really only seen time on special teams since transferring to Minnesota. Similarly, Tyler Cooper is entering his 5th season but hasn’t seen the field much over his career. Some combination of the three of these guys should start at center and left guard.
The LT, RT, and RG spots seem solidified for Minnesota and should be great anchors for an offensive line that is enduring a lot of player turnover. However, inexperience and the lack of highly-rated recruits at C and LG raise some question marks.
Grade: B
7) Maryland
Maryland has maybe more player turnover along their offensive line than any other team has at any other position. They return just 1 starter, but brought in 4 transfers who will all be competing for starting spots/
Maryland’s lone returner is a good one in RT DJ Glaze. Arguably their best offensive lineman last season, Glaze started all 13 games and earned 3rd-team All Big Ten. Entering his 3rd season with the program, DJ Glaze is primed for a major step forward and a potential All-American.
Starting opposite Glaze at LT is likely to be new-arrival Gottlieb Ayedze. Coming from D2’s Frostburg State University, Ayedze earned 1st-team All each of the past three seasons. The 6’5″ 300lb Maryland native was a 4-star prospect as a transfer and one of the top available tackles. Ayedze looks to be in store for a big 2023, but could be pushed by Andre Roye Jr for the starting LT spot. Roye – a consensus top-15 product out of Maryland in 2022 – appeared in three games along the line as a true freshman.
LSU transfer Marcus Dumervil could also potentially see time at tackle. A 4-star prospect in 2020, Dumervil appeared in 16 games over the past 3 seasons with 1 start. He’s expected to make the transition to guard for Maryland (a position of greater need than tackle) but could slide back over in the case of injury.
But Dumervil does not have one of those guard spots locked up just yet. He is competing with Amelio Morán and Corey Bullock. Morán has been one of Maryland’s top reserve linemen the past two seasons, appearing in 22 of 26 games. He played at Lackawanna College in 2019 and James Madison University in 2018, giving him ample experience. The 6’4″ 315lb Bullock transfers from North Carolina Central where he earned all-conference each of the past two seasons. No matter what combination of Dumervil, Morán, and Bullock ends up starting, there is a lot of experience that Maryland can lean on.
The center position is also up for grabs between Aric Harris and Mike Purcell. Although unranked in the 2021 class, Harris quickly became a big contributor for the Terp offensive line upon his arrival. He’s appeared in 17 games with 12 starts over the past 2 seasons. Purcell is entering his seventh season in 2023. He was a 3-year starter for D1-AA Elon, earning 2nd team All-Colonial this past season after missing the majority of 2021 due to injury. The 6’3″ 330lb Ohio native originally transferred to Duke in December, but reentered the portal this spring.
The Terps still have a ton to figure out as far as who is starting where along their offensive line in 2023. But with one of the Big Ten’s top tackles in DJ Glaze and abundant experience & depth at the other positions, Maryland fans can expect improved offensive line play this season. However, it may take a few games for all these new faces to gel together.
Grade: B
8) Iowa
The bad news for the Hawkeyes: much of last year’s historically bad offense could be blamed on an offensive line that could not effectively run or pass block. The good news: Iowa returns essentially everyone along their line and brings in a couple key transfers.
Rusty Feth transfers from Miami OH where he earned a starting job his freshman season and never looked back. He bounced around from guard to center before settling at guard last season, receiving 2nd-team All MAC honors. Center is seemingly secured with redshirt junior Logan Jones returning after a starting all 13 games last season. Left guard also appears to be owned by Beau Stephens after an impressive spring from the 2021 4-star prospect. That leaves right guard left for Feth to slide into.
But Feth will have to battle Colby Connor for the starting spot. Colby was another 4-star prospect in the 2021 class and top-5 player out of Iowa. After earning Freshman All-American honors in 2021, Connor was tasked with switching between left guard and right tackle for much of 2022. This battle should go well into fall camp and offer a good solution for the Hawkeyes at left guard.
Iowa’s other big transfer addition was tackle Daijon Parker, whose commitment they flipped from Virginia. The 6th-year started 19 games over the past two seasons for Saginaw Valley State. He’ll compete with Nick DeJong for the starting right tackle spot. DeJong – a walk-on in 2019 – started 8 games last season at left guard, right guard, and right tackle. But at 6’6″ 305lbs, he should be at home at tackle.
Mason Richman looks to have the left tackle spot secured entering 2023 after being one of the few bright spots on the unit last season, earning Big Ten Honorable Mention.
With three spots on the offensive line solidified and the other two positions entrenched in a tight battle between experienced players, Iowa can definitely count on a more productive group in 2023. However, depth may be a bit of an issue.
Grade: B-
9) Michigan State
The Spartan offensive line was incredibly thin due to injuries last season – a big reason why they finished the year 12th in the Big Ten in rush yards. But led by a solid trio of JD Duplain, Nick Samac, and Spencer Brown, Michigan State should now have enough healthy bodies to fill in the rest of the holes.
Duplain has been a mainstay at right guard for the Spartans, starting 35 games at the position over the past 4 seasons. Similarly, center Nick Samac returns after starting 38 games over the past 4 seasons. They both earned Big Ten Honorable Mention last season and would’ve at least been drafted this year had they entered. Spencer Brown has started 21 career games – 13 consecutive – at right tackle. The trio of 5th-year seniors have the right side anchored for an offensive line that should be much improved.
However, the left guard and tackle positions are wide open with nearly a dozen players vying for play time. It’s likely we’ll see a rotation of many players – at least to start the season. But Geno VanDeMark appears as close as anyone to claiming a starting spot. As a redshirt freshman last season, he appeared in 10 games and made 2 starts. A highly-touted 3-star prospect in the 2021, class, VanDeMark could make a big jump in 2023.
There are a lot of young players there to push VanDemMark for play time though. The likeliest of which is Kevin Wingenton II. He has the size at 6’5″ 290lbs, but saw only 12 snaps on offense in his redshirt freshman season last year.
Left tackle is a battle between Brandon Baldwin, KeyShawn Blackstock, and Ethan Boyd. 5th-year senior Baldwin is the favorite after starting 5 games and logging over 400 snaps at the position last season. It was his first time seeing the field since transferring from Independence Community College in 2021. Blackstock is a true freshman but he was the #1 IOL in his class – one of the highest rated recruits Mel Tucker has gotten at MSU. Boyd is entering his third year with the program a little under the radar. But he’s a monster at 6’7″ 325lbs – up from 285lbs when he came to East Lansing.
Michigan State has one of the deepest offensive line units in the Big Ten. With the left side of the line solidified with their trio of 5th-year seniors, the outlook is certainly brighter than it was last season. However, the uncertainty surrounding the left guard and left tackle positions keep the Spartans from having a great line. They have plenty of bodies, but the few players with experience have struggled when called upon.
Grade: B-
10) Purdue
Purdue’s offensive line wasn’t great last season, allowing 28 sacks and paving for the way for just 3.6 yards per rush – 99th in the country. Transfer departures along the interior line make Purdue’s 2023 outlook a little foggier. They also lost their anchor in tackle Eric Miller who left to reunite with Jeff Brohm in Louisville. But Purdue returns some valuable experience elsewhere and brought in a slew of transfer portal additions to establish more depth.
The Boilers’ new anchor up front looks to be center Gus Hartwig. A 4-star center in the 2020 class, Hartwig has been a reliable starting center for Purdue the past two seasons. He should be on everyone’s watch list for the Rimington Award, awarded to college football’s best center.
Next to Hartwig is another returning starter in LG Marcus Mbow. The 6’5″ 305lb Wisconsin native burst on to the scene as a redshirt freshman, starting all 14 games for the Boilermakers. Mbow has emerged as a leader among an offensive line group that is enduring a lot of reshuffling.
Bowling Green transfer Jalen Grant is the favorite to start at the other guard position. Over 28 career starts, Grant demonstrated his versatility as a physical lineman who can also pull for running backs and get up field for scrambling quarterbacks. Devin Mockobee should have more room to operate behind an interior line of Grant, Mbow, and Hartwig that offers a lot of experience and size.
However, the tackle position is much more up in the air. 6th-year Daniel Johnson is the early favorite to take one of those spots given his seniority. Johnson was originally a tight end at Kent State before switching to offensive line but only getting a handful of starts. He transferred to Purdue last season but was lost for the year in October due to a leg injury.
Purdue also brought in three transfers, each of whom have the potential to play tackle. Preston Nichols started 26 games over 2 seasons for Charleston Southern before transferring to UNLV last season and starting every game for them. He comes to Purdue this year having mostly played guard, but he has by far the most experience out of the others vying for the tackle positions.
Other players vying for the tackle positions are Luke Griffin, Ben Farrell, and Mahamane Moussa. Griffin spent the past 5 seasons at Missouri, appearing in 25 games with 8 starts. Farrell was 1st team All-Mideast each of the past 3 seasons for Indiana Weslayan. Moussa was a 3-star prospect and top-25 player in Indiana in the 2021 class but has not seen the field much yet.
The interior line for Purdue appears to be all shored up and is one of the strengths of the offense heading into 2023. But the two tackle positions pose massive question marks which is bad news for a new starting quarterback that has to go up against a lot of great defensive fronts.
Grade: C+
11) Nebraska
Nebraska’s offensive line was an absolute mess last year and one of the worst in the entire country, making it one of Matt Rhule’s top priorities in his first season with the Huskers. The good news is Nebraska did not lose anyone noteworthy along the line, so they are returning tons of experience. The better news is Rhule brought in 3 transfer portal additions which should help heat up the competition.
Let’s start with the positions that seem solidified. Teddy Prochazka, dubbed my Matt Rhule as the best tackle on the team, seems to have the starting LT position on lock. Prochazka was a consensus top-100 prospect in the 2021 class and started the first 3 games of 2022 before an injury against Georgia Southern cost him the rest of the season. He also missed the spring, but is reportedly fully healthy and ready for a big step forward in 2023.
Turner Corcoran started the first 3 games at left guard before pivoting to left tackle after Prochazka went down. Corcoran was also a top-100 prospect in his 2020 class. He has the versatility to play all over at 6’6″ 300lbs (up 20 lbs from his freshman year), but should thrive in his return to guard.
Ben Scott transfers from Arizona State with two years of eligibility remaining. After starting 28 games for the Sun Devils over the past three seasons, the 5th-year senior was a massive pickup. the 6’5″ 290lb Hawaii-native started out his career at tackle but moved to center last season. Scott figures to remain at center this season.
The LT, RG, and C positions seem secured with high-end talent and good experience. But Nebraska will have to hope for some players to take massive steps forward if they want similar confidence in the remaining tackle and guard positions.
Bryce Benhart looks like the favorite to start at RT coming out of the spring. Benhardt is an absolute monster at 6’9″ 315lbs. He started 11 games at tackle last season, but struggled in pass protection and often seemed to miss assignments. Matt Rhule has tremendous faith in him, calling him an NFL-caliber tackle. A 4-star top-150 prospect in 2019, Benhart has all the tools to be an All Big Ten tackle. But needs some technical refinement if he wants to reach the potential teams saw in him.
However, Benhart could be pushed by new-arrival Jacob Hood. Hood is another specimen at 6’8″ 345lbs. A 4-star prospect in last year’s class, Hood transfers from Georgia without seeing the field as a true freshman. The battle of Benhart vs Hood at right tackle will likely come down to who can grasp the offense the fastest.
Nouredin Nouili, a former walk-on who was palced on scholarship in 2021, is the favorite to take the left guard spot. He started every game for Nebraska in 2021 but missed all of last year due to suspension. It’s yet to be determined how he is viewed in the new coaching staff’s eyes, though. He’ll have to fend off Henry Lutovsky, who was a regular in Nebraska’s offensive line rotation last year. Playing mainly at right guard, Lutovsky earned two starts in 2022.
On paper, this looks like an above average offensive line that could carry a strong Husker rush attack. However, the Nebraska offensive line as a whole has struggled with fundamentals and blocking assignments over the years. That can mainly be blamed on poor coaching, but it’s hard to believe everything can be fixed in one season. Matt Rhule has the Nebraska program on the right trajectory. But they are likely a year away from seeing dominance in the trenches.
Grade: C+
12) Indiana
Indiana has struggled mightily along the offensive line over the past few seasons which culminated with the mid-season firing of their offensive line coach. But the arrival of former Wisconsin offensive line coach Bob Bostad and lots of returning experience along the interior line offers a glimmer of hope for Hoosier fans.
Indiana loses LT Luke Haggard, who started every game but one over the past two seasons. But they do bring back Matthew Bedford who had started every game at guard 2020-21 before an injury in the 2022 opener cost him the season. The 6’6″ 315lb 5th-year senior had made the change to tackle heading into last year and should stay there in 2023. A Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2021, Bedford looks to have one of the tackle spots on lock.
Carter Smith was a 4-star and top-300 prospect in the 2022 class. Despite appearing in only two games last season, there is hope amongst the coaching staff that Smith can elevate his game and be a reliable tackle. But he’ll have to fend off Joshua Sales Jr and Max Longman for a starting spot.
Sales was a 3-star and top-5 player out of Indiana in 2021. After redshirting his first season, Sales emerged as an integral part of the Hoosier line. He appeared in 10 games and earned 4 starts in 2022. Longman is a transfer from UMass where he was a 3-year starter at tackle. But at 6’4″, he may be better suited along the interior.
The Hoosiers return two starters along that interior line in center Zach Carpenter and left guard Mike Katic. Carpenter transferred from Michigan after the 2020 season. He started 3 games at right guard in 2021 before earning the starting center role last season. Katic has been a mainstay along this offensive line, starting 25 games at guard/center over the past 3 seasons.
The right guard position seems to be the most wide open along the Indiana offensive line. Max Longman could potentially slide over to guard and see play time there. There is also Kahlil Benson and Noah Bolticoff there to compete for a starting spot. Benson – a low 3-star in the 2021 class – appeared in all 12 games with 5 starts last season. Bolticoff is another 3-star from the 2021 class, transferring from TCU after appearing in each of TCU’s final 5 games last season.
There is plenty of experience along the Hoosier’s offensive line which should help elevate their play in 2023. But experience can’t make up for talent, and there isn’t much proven talent along this line outside of Matthew Bedford and Mike Katic. There is hope that new offensive line coach Bob Bostad can help get more out of these players. But he was let go by Wisconsin for having an under-performing line in the past two seasons. While I think Hoosier fans can expect some steps in the right direction this season, I don’t think there is enough talent in this room to elevate the unit to a top-10 line in the conference.
Grade: C
13) Rutgers
Rutgers had a 2022 to forget on the offensive side of the ball. But a lot of that can be blamed on the JV-level quarterback play rather than the offensive line. The line certainly had an up-and-down season, but it’s stuff rate and sack rate were actually in the top half of college football. With 3 returning starters, Scarlet Knight fans can expect some improvement in 2023.
The right side of the offensive line seems fairly shored up with tackle Hollin Pierce and guard Curtis Dunlap Jr. Pierce started his career as a walk-on but has emerged as a stalwart for Rutgers, starting every game at right tackle over the past two seasons. At 6’8″ 340lbs, Pierce might have an NFL future. Dunlap is entering his 6th year at the college level. He started out at Minnesota and was their starting guard in 2019. After sitting out the 2020 season and being relegated to a rotational player in 2021, Dunlap transferred to Rutgers and started all 12 games at right guard last season. He was a 4-star prospect back in the 2018 class and should be a great leader for this offensive line alongside Hollin Pierce.
Rutgers also returns center Ireland Brown. After switching from the defensive line in 2020, Brown started 6 games at guard in 2021 before moving to center. There are hopes that another year of experience will elevate Brown’s play in 2023. But if he struggles again, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Gus Zilinskas get a chance at center. He was a 3-star prospect and top-20 player out of Colorado in the 2021 class. He got some valuable experience as a redshirt freshman last season.
The left side of the offensive line seems completely up in the air. Former Colorado State transfer Mike Ciaffoni sounds like the favorite to take the other guard position. Like Ireland Brown, Ciaffoni started on the defensive line for the Rams before switching to the offensive side in 2021. He started 5 games for CSU before transferring to Rutgers. He appeared in all 12 games last season but did not register a start. He’ll be pushed by redshirt junior Bryan Felter. The New Jersey-native has gained a ton of experience over the past 3 seasons, appearing in 27 games with 8 starts along the interior line. It’s likely that Ciaffoni and Felter will rotate in at left guard.
The other tackle position is probably the biggest question mark along the Scarlet Knight offensive line. It looks like a battle between Kamar Missouri and Tyler Needham – both inexperienced and a bit undersized for a tackle. Tyler Needham was a 3-star prospect out of Pennsylvania in 2021, but stands at just 6’4″. Missouri stands at 6’5″ but was unranked in the 2020 class. The two have combined for 16 appearances and 0 starts over the past 2 seasons.
Similar to Indiana, Rutgers has two really solid starters in Hollin Pierce and Curtis Dunlap Jr but a lot of question marks outside of them. On the national scale, this looks like an average offensive line.
Grade: C
14) Northwestern
Although they were above average in pass protection, Northwestern’s offensive line was among the worst in the entire country in run blocking. With the loss of 1st-rounder Peter Skoronski and no major additions via the transfer portal Northwestern looks like their line might be taking a step in the wrong direction in 2023.
The good news for the Wildcats is they have a lot of seniors ready to step up into starting roles. The bad news is there is not a ton of experience. Guard Josh Priebe has the most experience with 16 starts across the past two seasons. At 6’5″ 310lbs, he is probably the most reliable guy the Wildcats have up front.
Outside of Priebe, it’s a whole lot of mystery. Senior Ben Wrather looks like the starting center, but he has only 2 career starts. Similar with 5th-year senior Zachary Franks – he looks like the answer at one of the tackle positions at 6’6″ 315lbs but he has yet to register a start for Northwestern.
No other returning player has started a game on the offensive line. Perhaps the scariest proposition for the Wildcats is that they may need to rely on their trio of true freshman to play a lot this season: Jordan Knox, Anthony Birsa, and Dylan Senda.
Knox was a 4-star and top-300 prospect according to 247. Birsa was also a 4-star prospect. The two interior linemen should both push for play time this season and might even earn a starting job if no one else steps up. They both have potential as solid starters and future NFL draft picks, but relying on true freshmen along the offensive line in the Big Ten is not usually a recipe for success.
Dylan Senda was a 3-star prospect that Northwestern snagged from Michigan. He may have a bright future, but he needs to build on his 6’5″ 275lb frame if he wants to hold up at tackle.
To put it plainly, the Northwestern offense has some dark days ahead in 2023. Unlike the other 13 offensive lines in the Big Ten, there aren’t many proven commodities that the unit can lean on.
Grade: D