2023 Offensive Line Unit Rankings: Do the reigning two-time Joe Moore Award winner Michigan Wolverines still hold the top spot?
With spring practice in the books and the second transfer portal window closing, it’s the perfect time to evaluate some pre-summer 2023 positional unit rankings.
We kickstarted the series with quarterbacks, examining the Top 10 QB rooms in the country in the fall. We’ve also looked at the 2023 running back unit rankings, as well as the 2023 top receiver depth charts and 2023 tight end rooms.
Today, we examine the top 10 offensive line units in college football.
1. Georgia
The Bulldogs return all three interior starting linemen, including one of the nation’s best center’s in Sedrick Van Pran and former 5-star recruit Tate Ratledge at guard. Amarius Mims is a potential 1st Round pick at right tackle who started both College Football Playoff games for UGA last season.
Georgia has an ongoing competition at left tackle to replace 1st Round pick Broderick Jones, with former 4-star recruit Earnest Greene an early frontrunner for the spot.
2. Michigan
The reigning back-to-back Joe Moore Award winners have a retooled OL unit that should still be among the nation’s best in 2023. The Wolverines bring back two of the better guards in the country in Trevor Keegan and Zak Zinter, and they’ve added multiple transfers who look primed to start at center (Drake Nugent from Stanford) and tackle (LaDarius Henderson from Arizona State).
Michigan OC/OL coach Sherrone Moore has depth to work with, too, with fellow Stanford transfer tackle Myles Hinton and third-year interior vets Greg Crippen and Raheem Anderson.
3. Notre Dame
The Irish have perhaps the nation’s top tackle tandem in Joe Alt and Blake Fisher, plus veteran center Zeke Correll. It’s a strong core trio, but Notre Dame does have to sort out both guard spots during training camp.
The Irish opted not to grab any transfers so they must like their internal options, which include Andrew Kristofic and Robby Carmody — two upperclassmen guards ready to step into starting roles.
4. LSU
The Tigers’ offensive line was viewed as a weakness before the 2022 season, but after a strong showing from a pair of now-sophomore tackles in Will Campbell and Emery Jones, the group projects as a team strength in 2023. LSU brings back all five starters and has some additive depth pieces in 5-star freshman Zalance Heard and Maryland tackle transfer Mason Lunsford, among others.
5. Texas
The Longhorns bring back all five starters, headlined by former 5-star tackle Kelvin Banks. Texas has made a strong investment in its OL room thanks to some coordinated NIL packages, and while depth is a bit of a concern, the 1st Team group should be even better in 2023 after a year of growth and chemistry.
6. Alabama
The Crimson Tide’s offensive line projects to go from an inconsistent group to a team strength in 2023, led by potential 1st Round tackle J.C. Latham.
Alabama is set on the interior with Seth McLaughlin,Tyler Booker and Darrian Dalcourt all back, and left tackle Elijah Pritchett could be in a fight for his job with 5-star freshman Kadyn Proctor impressing this spring.
7. Utah
Once again, the Utes project to have one of the better OLs in the country this fall, with three starters back including both guards Keaton Bills and Michael Mokofisi. They have a deep bench of rotational options, many of whom have seen playing time the last two seasons.
Head coach Kyle Whittingham believes Utah has 12 guys competing for 10 spots during training camp later this summer.
8. USC
The Trojans lost guard Andrew Vorhees to the NFL, but they turn one of the best interior OL in the Pac-12 in Justin Dedich, plus versatile tackle Jonah Monheim, who is likely to kick inside to guard with other viable tackle options now on the roster.
USC added Florida right tackle Michael Tarquin and Washington State left tackle Jarrett Kingston, both of whom project as Day 1 starters to protect star quarterback Caleb Willams.
9. Florida State
The Seminoles have their deepest OL in over a decade, buoyed by the return of senior left tackle Robert Scott Jr., who opted to come back to school rather than go to the NFL in 2023.
FSU also brings back likely starters in center Maurice Smith, seventh-year senior guard D’Mitri Emmanuel and Bless Harris, last year’s starting right tackle who was hurt in the season-opener against LSU, as well as top signee tackle Julian Armella, who redshirted in 2022.
Mike Norvell supplemented the unit with three transfer portal linemen, including former Auburn guard Keiondre Jones, who projects as a potential starter at left guard.
10. Kansas State
Chris Klieman wants his teams led by a physical, punishing offensive line, and he has just that with a veteran unit that returns all five starters in 2023.
The Wildcats aren’t a flashy group compared to many of the blue-chippers on the rest of this list, but versatile guard Cooper Beebe is one of the best linemen in the Big 12 and was the conference’s Lineman of the Year in 2022. This is a unit that paved the way for the Big 12’s second-best rushing attack in 2022.
Honorable Mention: Penn State, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Washington, Oregon State, Ohio State