College football’s 20 best offensive linemen of 2026
Oregon offensive lineman Iapani Laloulu (72) blocks Iowa defensive lineman Jonah Pace (91) during a play Saturday November 8, 2025 at Kinnick Stadium. (Lynn Harrington/stayaliveinpower5)
Breakfast is always served on the field during autumn Saturdays. These big uglies are all about the pancakes. They are immovable objects, and do the dirty work in the trenches, while the skill position players hog all of the glory.
False starts and high snaps are inexcusable. One fundamental mistake can lead to disaster and determine outcome of games. Besides the center, offensive linemen aren’t supposed to touch the ball, but they still have a ton of responsibility when it comes to executing a play.
20. McKale Boley, OT, Virginia: The Mississippi native takes care of business on the field, and in the classroom. Boley has three years worth of starting experience with the Cavaliers. He also made the ACC Academic Honor Roll during that span. Boley showed promise out on the edge last season, and mauled defenders at the point of attack. The former three-star prospect helped Virginia finish third in the ACC, and tied 19th nationally in sacks allowed. Boley knows how to use his 6-foot-5, 316-pound frame, and has the flexibility to limit the pass rush from his side. For his heroics, Boley earned third-team, All-ACC honors. Now Boley, and Noah Josey will anchor Virginia’s offensive line.
19. Howard Sampson, OT, Texas Tech: The Houston native is back for his senior season, and helps bring credibility to the Red Raiders’ offensive line. After all, Sampson started all 14 games for Texas Tech in 2025, was a handful to deal with out on the edge, and earned third-team, All-Big 12 honors. He’s massive too, standing 6-foot-8, and weighing 330 pounds. Sampson is a natural with his hand placement, and often provides ample amount of time for the quarterback in the pocket. However, Texas Tech did allow 27 sacks last season, including four in the Playoff loss to Oregon. Protection is going to be a point of emphasis for Sampson and his teammates, and they have a lot of potential.
18. Noah Josey, OG, Virginia: The Tennessee native is one of the most-experienced offensive linemen in the ACC. Josey has nearly four seasons worth of starting experience, and brings that veteran energy in the trenches. The 6-foot-5, 310-pounder is a load to deal with, and has the ability to block two defenders at the same time. Josey even earned third-team, All-ACC honors for his heroics in blocking. He helped the Cavaliers finish fourth in the conference, and 38th nationally in rushing offense. Not to mention Virginia only allowed 18 sacks through 14 games. With Josey and McKale Boley returning up front, Coach Tony Elliott has two vital pieces to build the rest of the offensive line around.
17. Carson Hinzman, C, Ohio State: The Wisconsin native has three years worth of starting experience in Columbus after playing alongside several former Buckeyes, who are now in the NFL. Hinzman is a graduate student, with tremendous upside, and will anchor the big boys up front this upcoming season. He’s coming off a solid campaign, after earning third-team, All-Big Ten honors. The 6-foot-5, 300-pounder is a natural at mauling defensive linemen at the point of attack, and very physical. Hinzman helped the Buckeyes allow a mere 16 sacks through 14 games. The former four-star prospect was a big reason why Ohio State ranked fourth in the Big Ten, and 26th nationally in total offense.
16. Trevor Lauck, OT, Iowa: The former three-star prospect showed tremendous promise last season with the Hawkeyes. Lauck started all 13 games at left tackle, and was a vital piece to a unit that won the Joe Moore Award. He’s as mean as they come on the edge, and can be an immovable object at times. Lauck helped Iowa finish sixth in the Big Ten, and tie for 25th nationally in sacks allowed. The Indianapolis native put in the hard work, and capped off the year with third-team, All-Big Ten honors. The Hawkeyes had three starters from the offensive line selected in this year’s NFL Draft, so it’s going to be up to veterans like Lauck, and Kade Pieper to anchor the group in the trenches.
15. John Pastore, OT, Kansas State: The former three-star prospect appears to be following in the footsteps of former Wildcat standout offensive linemen like Cooper Beebe, KT Levingston and Sam Hecht. They were all NFL Draft picks over the past three years, and Pastore has the same qualities. He started all 12 games at left tackle last season, and earned second-team, All-Big 12 honors. Pastore also took care of business in the classroom the previous year, and earned Academic All-Big 12. The 6-foot-6, 330-pounder protected Avery Johnson’s blind side, and helped Kansas State finish third in the conference, and 10th in the FBS in sacks allowed. Which is why Pastore is due for a stellar campaign.
14. Sheridan Wilson, C, Texas Tech: The Texas native has been the heart and soul of the Red Raiders’ offensive line for the past two seasons. Wilson started 27 games at center during that span, and wreaked havoc on a ton of defensive linemen. He anchored the big boys up front for the Big 12 champs in 2025, and opened up big holes. The cherry on top to Wilson’s amazing campaign is the fact that he earned third-team, All-Big 12 honors. The 6-foot-5, 300-pounder is already a team captain for the upcoming season, which means he has the respect of his teammates. Wilson’s blocking, and protection was a big reason why Texas Tech finished second in the league, and 10th nationally in total offense.
13. Kade Pieper, OG, Iowa: The former three-star prospect started all 13 games at right guard last season, and was a key contributor to a unit that won the Joe Moore Award. Pieper is a versatile interior lineman, who excels at playing guard and center. He opened holes, and helped the Hawkeyes finish fourth in the Big Ten in rushing offense. Not to mention Pieper capped off the year with third-team, All-Big Ten honors for his blue-collar work in the trenches. With Iowa’s offensive line rebuilding after losing three starters to the NFL Draft, Pieper is now the veteran, and set to anchor the group. The Hawkeyes appear to have a pipeline going with the big boys up front, and Pieper is next in line to build a legacy.
12. Joe Cotton, OT, Cincinnati: Although he had no stars behind his name out of high school, the South Dakota native has blossomed into one of the Big 12’s best offensive linemen. Cotton started 27 games at the FCS level before he arrived in Cincinnati. He made an immediate impact with the Bearcats, and started all 13 games last season. Cotton was a big reason why Cincinnati led the Big 12, and ranked second nationally in sacks allowed. The 6-foot-6, 320-pounder left a lasting impression, and earned second-team, All-Big 12 honors. Not to mention Cotton helped the Bearcats’ offensive line become one of 10 finalists for the Joe Moore Award. Cotton, and teammate Evan Tengesdahl are elite.
11. Luke Montgomery, OG, Ohio State: The former four-star prospect understands what it takes to be successful in the trenches. Montgomery is big, mean and physical. Last season he displayed great hand placement, a low center of gravity, and always provided a solid push up front. The 6-foot-5, 312-pounder has nearly two seasons worth of starting experience, and is natural at mauling defenders from the interior. Montgomery was an integral part of the Buckeyes’ offensive success in 2025, and ended his junior year with second-team, All-Big Ten honors. The Ohio native will join Austin Siereveld, Carson Hinzman and Phillip Daniels to form one of the nation’s best offensive lines for this upcoming season.
10. PJ Williams, OT, SMU: The former four-star prospect has nearly three seasons worth of starting experience with the Mustangs. Williams is a versatile lineman too, who can play at right and left tackle. He started four games in 2023, and every contest over the past two seasons. Not to mention Williams was a team captain in 2025. The 6-foot-5, 313-pounder was a big reason why SMU finished fifth in the ACC, and tied for 29th in the FBS in sacks allowed. Williams even finished the year with second-team, All-ACC honors. With 31 starts under his belt, Williams is poised to anchor the big boys up front this fall. His veteran presence brings instant credibility to the Mustangs’ offensive line.
9. Anthonie Knapp, OT, Notre Dame: He’s a force to be reckoned with on the edge, and always provides maximum protection. Knapp started 15 games as a true freshman for the Fighting Irish in 2024, and gained valuable experience. The Georgia native started all 12 contests last season, and helped Notre Dame finish eighth nationally is sacks allowed. The 6-foot-5, 304-pounder is a huge brick wall for quarterback CJ Carr to operate behind. Not to mention Knapp was a key contributor to Jeremiah Love’s rushing production last year. Knapp, along with Joe Otting, and a healthy Ashton Craig, give the offensive line strength from the interior, all the way to the outside. Expect an All-American campaign from Knapp.
8. Bruce Mitchell, C, BYU: The Utah native is a converted defensive tackle, who has blossomed into one of the nation’s best centers over the past two years. Mitchell started six games as a redshirt sophomore in 2024, and the rest is history. He started all 14 games last year, and was a team co-captain. The 6-foot-4, 305-pounder earned first-team, All-Big 12 honors for his heroics. Mitchell helped the Cougars finish fourth in the Big 12, and 12th nationally in sacks allowed. The former two-star prospect paved the way for BYU to rank fourth in the league in rushing offense, and score 33 touchdowns on the ground. Mitchell takes care of business in the classroom too, and is a three-time, Academic All-Big 12 performer.
7. Austin Siereveld, OT, Ohio State: The former three-star prospect is a mountain out on the edge, who helps protect Julian Sayin’s blind side. Siereveld stands 6-foot-5, and has some fluidity on his 325-pound frame. He helped the Buckeyes finish second in the Big Ten, and 12th in the FBS in sacks allowed last season. Siereveld contributed to Sayin’s amount of time in the pocket, and helped him average 257.8 pass yards per game. The Ohio native also earned second-team, All-Big Ten honors for his heroics in the trenches. Although Siereveld was held out the final weeks of spring ball for minor procedures, he’s going to help Ohio State field one of the Big Ten’s best aerial attacks again this fall.
6. Jordan Seaton, OT, LSU: The former five-star prospect is coming off two productive seasons at Colorado. Seaton started 22 games during that span, and earned second-team, All-Big 12 honors. Which is why he was the most sought-after offensive tackle in the transfer portal’s last cycle. After all, Seaton has massive size, standing 6-foot-5, and weighing 307 pounds. He’s flexible, has a ton of experience in the trenches, and can bend the hips and knees to slow down the pass rush. Seaton even signed a jaw-dropping, $4 million NIL deal this offseason, so LSU fans expect him to deliver on the hype and make an immediate splash. Operating under offensive guru Lane Kiffin should help Seaton excel in the SEC.
5. Cayden Green, OT, Missouri: The former four-star prospect has a ton of SEC experience, and he’s as versatile as they come. Green is a natural at sealing the gap on the edge, and can create big holes from the interior. He rarely allows a defender to penetrate the pocket, and can withstand the pass rush from elite edge rushers. The 6-foot-five, 324-pounder is massive too, and packs a ton of lower body strength. Green started 13 games at left guard in 2024. The Missouri native started 11 games at left tackle last season, and made a tremendous impact. Green helped the Tigers finish first in the SEC, and eighth nationally in rushing offense. For his heroics, Green earned second-team, All-SEC honors.
4. Evan Tengesdahl, OG, Cincinnati: The Ohio native is coming off a remarkable campaign with the Bearcats. Tengesdahl started all 13 games at left guard last season, and mauled defenders at the point of attack. He always provided a great push up front, and helped the Bearcats finish sixth in the Big 12 in rushing offense. The 6-foot-3, 323-pounder has the ability to block two defenders at the same time. Tengesdahl was a big reason why Cincinnati only allowed eight sacks through 13 games. The former three-star prospect made such an impact, that he ended the year with first-team, All-Big 12, and third-team, AP All-America honors. Tengesdahl is also a force in the classroom after earning Academic All Big 12 in 2024.
3. Trevor Goosby, OT, Texas: The former three-star prospect is a beast in the trenches, and a blitzing defender’s worst nightmare. Goosby is a huge mountain too, standing 6-foot-7, and weighing 325 pounds. He has great footwork, hand placement and upper body strength. The Texas native has 15 career starts, including all 13 games at left tackle last season. Goosby showed the potential to be as good as former teammate Kelvin Benjamin, who eventually became a top-10 NFL Draft pick. Which is why he capped off the year with first-team, All-SEC honors. With DJ Campbell now in the NFL, Goosby will anchor the big boys up front, and be responsible again for protecting Arch Manning’s blind side.
2. Carter Smith, OT, Indiana: The Ohio native is one of the nation’s most-experienced offensive linemen, with a jaw-dropping, 41 career starts. Smith has started every game for the Hoosiers over the past three seasons. He’s a monster at left tackle, and always provides supreme protection in the pocket. Smith helped protect Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza’s blind side, and was a big reason why Indiana ranked 34th nationally in sacks allowed. The 6-foot-5, 313-pounder earned first-team, All-Big Ten, and second-team, AP All-America honors. Smith was even named one of seven semifinalists for the Outland Trophy. His return ensures that new quarterback Josh Hoover will have a smooth transition.
1. Iapani Laloulu, C, Oregon: The Hawaii native is a one-man wrecking crew on the gridiron. Laloulu brings the pain from the interior, and knows how to deliver pancakes at the line of scrimmage. He started all 15 games last season, and didn’t allow a sack over Oregon’s final nine contests. Laloulu helped the Ducks tie for 15th in the FBS in sacks allowed. Not to mention he paved the way for Oregon to finish 20th nationally in rushing offense, and score 35 touchdowns on the ground. Laloulu earned second-team, All-Big Ten, and third-team, AP All-America honors. The former four-star prospect was one of seven Outland Trophy Semifinalists. Laloulu was even one of three finalists for the Rimington Award.
Honorable Mention
Phillip Daniels, OT, Ohio State: The Cincinnati native earned third-team, All-Big Ten honors for his heroics in the trenches. Although Daniels was held out the final weeks of spring ball for minor procedures, he’s going to help Ohio State field one of the Big Ten’s best aerial attacks again this season.
