B/R CFB Recruiting 200: Top 12 Interior Offensive Linemen

After thorough study using specific scoring criteria, Bleacher Report recruiting analysts Damon Sayles, Sanjay Kirpalani and Tyler Donohue have graded the top 200 players in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and provided in-depth analysis. As the summer camp circuit comes to a close, Bleacher Report provides a position-by-position breakdown of the best college football recruits. Today, we present the Top Interior Linemen.

The foundation for winning big in college football begins in the trenches. 

A quick glance at the top teams in the country shows that the interiors of their respective offensive lines are stout and able to control the action in the middle of the field.

The 2016 recruiting class features a number of intriguing guard and center prospects who are built to dominate at the next level. 

The latest edition of the B/R Recruiting CFB 200 series focuses on the top interior linemen in the 2016 class.

Bleacher Report scored the top offensive guards and centers on key metrics, such as strength (20 points), pass protection (30 points), run blocking (40 points) and explosion (10 points). The cumulative figures from those traits resulted in our overall grade for each prospect. 

How do the nation’s top interior offensive linemen grade out?

All analysis provided by B/R National Recruiting Analyst Sanjay Kirpalani. OG denotes offensive guard and OC denotes offensive center.

4-Star OG Chris Owens

Height/Weight: 6’2 ½”, 312 lbs 

High School: Lamar High, Arlington, Texas

247Sports Ranking: No. 10 OG, No. 180 overall

Bleacher Report Score: 89/100

Committed to Alabama on April 22, 2015

Alabama is once again building a formidable class of offensive linemen in the 2016 cycle.

One of the headliners of the group is 4-star offensive lineman Chris Owens, who rates as the No. 24 prospect in Texas in the 2016 class.

Owens committed to Alabama over Auburn, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M.

Bleacher Report Analysis

Owens is a classic road-grader at guard, which makes him a perfect fit for Alabama’s offense. He has a nasty streak and routinely drives linemen downfield while clearing out holes. He’s athletic enough to be a pulling guard. He will benefit from being an early enrollee by getting in the weight room and reshaping his body, gaining more strength and athleticism.

4-Star OG Tyler Gerald

Height/Weight: 6’5”, 300 lbs

High School: IMG Academy, Bradenton, Florida

247Sports Ranking: No. 9 OG, No. 163 overall

Bleacher Report Score: 89/100

Committed to Ohio State on June 19, 2014 

The first commitment in Ohio State’s 2016 class came last summer when 4-star offensive lineman Tyler Gerald pledged to the Buckeyes. 

He chose the Buckeyes over offers from Florida State, Penn State and Virginia Tech, among others.

Gerald is an early enrollee who will be on campus in Columbus in January.

Bleacher Report Analysis

Gerald is a mauler at guard, with power and quickness being the main attributes that make him a special prospect. He does a great job of keeping his balance and finishing blocks at the second level in the run game.

He is more comfortable as a run-blocker, but he has the tools to develop into a solid pass-blocker. He is an early enrollee, but he will need to shake off some rust after missing the majority of his senior season due to a shoulder injury, as noted by Bill Kurelic of Bucknuts.

4-Star OG John Simpson

Height/Weight: 6’4”, 290 lbs

High School: Fort Dorchester High, North Charleston, South Carolina

247Sports Ranking: No. 8 OG, No. 152 overall 

Bleacher Report Score: 90/100

Uncommitted: Considering Alabama, Clemson, Florida, LSU and South Carolina

One of the few elite prospects at the position who have yet to make a commitment is 4-star offensive lineman John Simpson.

The U.S. Army All-American has already taken an official visit to LSU and an unofficial trip to South Carolina. He has official visits to Florida, Clemson and Alabama lined up for later in January.

As Tony Morrell of 247Sports noted, Simpson’s relationship with South Carolina assistant Shawn Elliott could help the Gamecocks keep Simpson in the state.

Bleacher Report Analysis

One thing that jumps out about Simpson is how athletic he is and his quickness off the snap. That athleticism shows on film when’s he asked to be a pulling guard. He also has great leg drive.

He will need to add more muscle in his transition to college, but his frame should be able to support that. Overall, there’s a lot to like about Simpson as a prospect.

4-Star OG Deonte Brown

Height/Weight: 6’3”, 350 lbs

High School: Austin High, Decatur, Alabama

247Sports Ranking: No. 7 OG, No. 151 overall

Bleacher Report Score: 88/100

Committed to Alabama on April 29, 2015

One week after the Tide secured Owens, they were able to land a commitment from a potential bookend at guard in 4-star Deonte Brown.

Brown, the No. 4 prospect in Alabama, chose the Tide over programs such as Louisville, Mississippi State and Tennessee.

He is one of four touted line prospects in the Tide’s 2016 class.

Bleacher Report Analysis 

Brown is a powerful prospect whose size makes him a man-child on the prep level. While he will need to reshape his body in college, he has the potential to be a physically imposing player in the trenches of the SEC. Brown excels as a driving run-blocker, but he will need to get more athletic and improve his footwork as a pass-blocker at the next level.

4-Star OC Drake Jackson

Height/Weight: 6’1 ¼”, 290 lbs

High School: Woodford County High, Versailles, Kentucky

247Sports Ranking: No. 2 OC, No. 142 overall 

Bleacher Report Score: 90/100

Committed to Kentucky on Dec. 13, 2014

Six of Kentucky’s 22 pledges in its 2016 class committed before the end of 2014.

Included in that group is 4-star offensive lineman Drake Jackson, who is rated as the No. 2 prospect from Kentucky in the 2016 cycle.

Jackson chose the Wildcats over offers from Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, Penn State and Tennessee.

Bleacher Report Analysis

Jackson was one of the more impressive linemen at The Opening. He wasn’t afraid to mix it up with the nation’s top defensive linemen when things got physical. He’s versatile enough to play guard or center at the next level. As a center, he’s quick off the ball and with a little added mass, he can be stout enough to handle wide-bodied defensive tackles.

4-Star OG Donavaughn Campbell

Height/Weight: 6’4”, 347 lbs

High School: Ponchatoula High, Ponchatoula, Louisiana

247Sports Ranking: No. 6 OG, No. 138 overall

Bleacher Report Score: 93/100

Committed to LSU on Jan. 8, 2015

It’s been a little over a year since LSU landed a pledge from 4-star offensive lineman Donavaughn Campbell.

While Campbell appears to be firm in his commitment, schools such as Alabama, Florida State and Georgia Tech—where his older brother Christian plays—are still pushing hard for him, according to Sonny Shipp of 247Sports. 

As of now, only the Yellow Jackets have been able to nail down an official visit from Campbell, and that will come on the final weekend before national signing day.

Bleacher Report Analysis

Despite being listed at 347 pounds, Campbell moves like a lineman who hovers around the 300-pound mark—which is a testament to his athleticism. His game is based mostly on power, but his footwork is above average, and he displays a solid base in pass protection. Once Campbell’s technique catches up to his athleticism, he'll have all the tools necessary to develop into a dominant force at the college level.

4-Star OG John Raridon

Height/Weight: 6’2”, 258 lbs

High School: Valley High, West Des Moines, Iowa

247Sports Ranking: No. 5 OG, No. 117 overall

Bleacher Report Score: 92/100

Committed to Nebraska on Sept. 28, 2014

Back in September 2014, 4-star offensive lineman John Raridon became the second member of Nebraska’s 2016 recruiting class.

Raridon chose the Cornhuskers over Iowa, Oklahoma, Oregon and Wisconsin.

Despite the coaching turnover in Lincoln, the U.S. Army All-American has been a solid pledge for the Huskers.

Bleacher Report Analysis 

At 258 pounds, Raridon will definitely need to add weight to be an effective guard at the next level. However, what separates Raridon in this offensive line class is how quick he is off the ball and the athleticism he displays as a run-blocker.

He also displays great balance and footwork. Assuming he can add enough muscle mass without losing his athleticism, Raridon has the tools to become an All-American-caliber lineman in college.

4-Star Michael Onwenu

Height/Weight: 6’3”, 360 lbs 

High School: Cass Technical High, Detroit

247Sports Ranking: No. 4 OG, No. 88 overall

Bleacher Report Score: 91/100

Committed to Michigan on June 2, 2015

Michigan landed 12 commitments in June 2015, with the first coming from 4-star offensive lineman Michael Onwenu. 

Onwenu chose the Wolverines over Alabama, Miami, Ohio State and Penn State, among others.

The U.S. Army All-American is the top prospect from Michigan in the 2016 cycle.

Bleacher Report Analysis

You have to see Onwenu in person to appreciate how large he is and how well he carries his weight. I saw him at a camp in the summer, and he was clearly the most dominant lineman in attendance. But what struck me was how nimble he was at his size.

He’s still raw as a pass-blocker, but he has the necessary traits to become a solid protector in that area. Overall, Onwenu is a great fit for Michigan’s pro-style attack, which is predicated on a powerful ground game.

4-Star OG Terrance Davis

Height/Weight: 6’4”, 305 lbs

High School: DeMatha Catholic High, Hyattsville, Maryland

247Sports Ranking: No. 3 OG, No. 73 overall

Bleacher Report Score: 90/100

Committed to Maryland on Jan. 2, 2016

Michigan was the perceived favorite for 4-star offensive lineman Terrance Davis. 

The Wolverines hosted him for an official visit on Nov. 28, but schools such as Alabama, Florida and Maryland pushed hard for visits from Davis, with the latter landing an unofficial visit from him on Dec. 12. 

As Chad Carson of 247Sports detailed, USA Today named Davis a second-team All-American in late December. He committed to Maryland just over a week later. 

Bleacher Report Analysis 

Davis does a great job of getting his hands extended on his run blocks and driving through his man until the whistle blows. His game is based purely on power at this stage. There’s still room for him to develop into a complete blocker in the passing game. However, his frame and mean streak make him an ideal candidate to be a punishing guard in college.

4-Star OG Patrick Hudson

Height/Weight: 6’5.5”, 325 lbs

High School: Silsbee High, Silsbee, Texas

247Sports Ranking: No. 2 OG, No. 50 overall

Bleacher Report Score: 92/100

Committed to Baylor on July 18, 2014

Baylor has held a commitment from 4-star offensive lineman Patrick Hudson for more than 18 months.

However, the Bears will have to battle the likes of Texas, Georgia and Arkansas—all of whom will host Hudson on official visits in January—to keep him in their class on signing day. 

The Under Armour All-American was initially classified as a tackle, and he could end up playing either guard or tackle at the next level. 

Bleacher Report Analysis 

Hudson has the prototypical size and athleticism you look for in a tackle prospect. However, his skill-set, at least at this stage of his career, seems to point toward guard being a better fit at the next level. Technique-wise, he's still raw with respect to the details of being an elite lineman. However, he's adept at getting off the ball quick in run blocking sets. He's quick and powerful enough to get to the second level with ease. If he can work on his footwork and using his hands in pass protection, he has the tools to be an elite player at either guard or tackle in college. 

4-Star OC Baveon Johnson

Height/Weight: 6’3”, 310 lbs

High School: Lake Gibson High, Lakeland, Florida

247Sports Ranking: No. 1 OC, No. 42 overall

Bleacher Report Score: 93/100

Committed to Florida State on March 11, 2015

Less than a month after receiving an offer from childhood-favorite Florida State, 4-star offensive lineman Baveon Johnson jumped on it and pledged to the Seminoles, as detailed by Chris Nee of Noles247.

Johnson chose Florida State over Miami, Mississippi State, Nebraska and Wisconsin, among others. 

Johnson rose to the top ranking among interior offensive linemen after a strong showing at The Opening over the summer.

Bleacher Report Analysis 

I got the chance to see Johnson twice at camps—once at the Nike Orlando Opening Regional and again at The Opening. He was dominant at both stops, with his showing at Oregon erasing any doubts about his standing as the nation’s top center prospect.

As a center, Johnson does a good job of firing off the ball while staying low and maintaining his pad level. He’s a punishing run-blocker who is capable of pulling on power plays and getting to the second level in a hurry. As a pass-blocker, he does a good job of getting set in his base and keeping his balance. Overall, Johnson has the size and skill set to be an early contributor for Florida State.

4-Star OG Michal Menet

Height/Weight: 6’5”, 273 lbs

High School: Exeter Township High, Reading, Pennsylvania

247Sports Ranking: No. 1 OG, No. 28 overall

Bleacher Report Score: 92/100

Committed to Penn State on May 29, 2015

Penn State head coach James Franklin has placed a heavy emphasis on landing the Keystone State's top prospects, and he's landed four of the state's Top 10 players in the 2016 class.

Included in that group is the state's top prospect in 4-star offensive lineman Michal Menet. 

The Under Armour All-American racked up nearly 30 offers, but he committed to the Nittany Lions over offers from programs such as Alabama, Florida State, Michigan, Ohio State and Stanford. 

Bleacher Report Analysis 

Menet played defensive tackle in high school, and you can see his aggression as a blocker when he flips over to the other side of the ball. He's very athletic, and potentially nimble enough to play tackle at the next level. However, his mean streak also makes him an intriguing fit as a guard.

He's still quite raw in areas such as technique and footwork. Also, he's a little light at 273 pounds, so he may need a redshirt year to add enough mass to be effective. Despite those issues, he has the tools necessary to develop into a dominant player if he can add muscle and continue to improve on the details of playing offensive line.