Three looming questions about Arkansas football in 2025: Offensive Line
The offseason is in full swing, and there’s a little less than a month before the Arkansas Razorbacks will start fall camp ahead of the 2025 season opener against Alabama A&M on Aug. 30.
HawgBeat is continuing our series asking three looming questions about each position group ahead of next season. Up next in the series is the offensive line.
The group up front looks pretty different heading into 2025 than it did in 2024. The Hogs lost two starters — Joshua Braun and Addison Nichols — to the transfer portal, but return the other three in Fernando Carmona Jr., right tackle Keyshawn Blackstock and E’Marion Harris.
One main difference fans will notice is where Carmona lines up. Last season, he started every game at left tackle, but he’s moving to the interior of the line after offensive line coach Eric Mateos grabbed Corey Robinson II out of the transfer portal from Georgia Tech.
Speaking of transfers, there are plenty new faces up front for the Hogs in 2025. In addition to Robinson, Arkansas added Shaq McRoy (Oregon), Marcus Dumervil (Maryland), Caden Kitler (UCF) and Kavion Broussard (Ole Miss) out of the portal to bolster its depth.
With the new faces come more question marks, so here’s three that are looming about the Razorbacks’ offensive line in 2025…
Can new group protect Taylen Green?
Sacks were a major issue for Arkansas in 2024, as quarterback Taylen Green was sacked 32 times across 13 games. Part of that was due to him trying to extend plays, but the offensive line was a major issue in that department.
With a revamped offensive line this season, will that change? The Hogs addressed the issues along the front, and the hope is the retooled offensive line will be able to better protect Green this season.
One guy who doesn’t have much experience allowing sacks is Robinson. The Georgia Tech transfer hasn’t allowed a sack since 2022, which is exactly what you want out of your left tackle.
“Even though my pass pro is — through the numbers — good, it’s still something I work on, as well as the run,” Robinson said during spring practice. “Every day I just try to make myself more of a complete offensive lineman. For me, my daily focus is just becoming better more so overall as a complete player.”
How will Fernando Carmona Jr. adjust to interior?
One of the big moves heading into spring practice was Carmona moving from left tackle to the interior of the offensive line. He played every game at left tackle last season, but since the Hogs brought in Robinson, he spent all spring playing at the guard spot.
A transition like that isn’t always smooth sailing, but Carmona said during spring ball it was a move he’d been wanting to make.
“Moving inside is kind of something that I wanted to do and it’s just been, it’s been really hard, because – moving from tackle, you’ve got a lot of space to now you’re moving inside and everything’s happening, bam, bam, bam,” Carmona said. “So, just kind of getting comfortable in that spot of learning how to pull and being a guard. It’s been a lot of learning but it’s been a lot of fun because I’m learning something new and just trying to get better each and every day.
There was initially some thought he would take over at center, but he spent most of his time at left guard in the spring. That can change before fall camp starts, of course, but the Hogs did bring in Caden Kitler, who played specifically at center at UCF last year.
Can the offensive line support strong rushing attack?
Arkansas had some changes in the running back room from last season, but the ground game will be paramount to the Hogs having success in 2025.
A big part of that rushing attack will rest on the shoulders of the offensive line. The Hogs had the 34th best rushing attack in the FBS last season and averaged 184.8 yards on the ground and 4.86 yards per carry.
In conference games, though, the yards per game average drops to 146.8 per game, which is just ninth in the SEC. Arkansas’ conference schedule features the same teams but different venues, and the Hogs will need their offensive line to step up if they want to have a successful rushing attack in 2025.
RELATED: Three looming questions about Arkansas football in 2025: Running Backs
Arkansas offensive linemen in 2025
- Kobe Branham, R Fr., 6-foot-5, 326 lbs.
- Corey Robinson III, R Sr., 6-foot-5, 307 lbs.
- Caden Kitler, R Jr., 6-foot-3, 306 lbs.
- Kash Courtney, Fr., 6-foot-4, 285 lbs.
- Keyshawn Blackstock, R Sr., 6-foot-5, 320 lbs.
- Fernando Carmona Jr., R Sr., 6-foot-5, 325 lbs.
- L.J. Prudhomme, Fr., 6-foot-3, 295 lbs.
- Tim Dawn, R Jr., 6-foot-2, 316 lbs.
- Jonas Nantze, R Fr., 6-foot-5, 298 lbs.
- Alex Johnson, R Fr., 6-foot-3, 299 lbs.
- Aaron Smith, R So., 6-foot-6, 300 lbs.
- Payton Parks-Smith, R Jr., 6-foot-5, 208 lbs.
- Blake Cherry, Fr., 6-foot-5, 309 lbs.
- Shaq McRoy, R Fr., 6-foot-8, 362 lbs.
- Brooks Edmonson, R Jr., 6-foot-4, 316 lbs.
- Marcus Dumervil, R Sr., 6-foot-5, 298 lbs.
- Kavion Broussard, R Fr., 6-foot-6, 306 lbs.
- E’Marion Harris, R Jr., 6-foot-7, 300 lbs.
- Bubba Craig, R So., 6-foot-8, 307 lbs.
More HawgBeat Offensive Previews
– Three looming questions about Arkansas football in 2025: Quarterbacks
– Three looming questions about Arkansas football in 2025: Wide Receivers
– Three looming questions about Arkansas football in 2025: Tight Ends
