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Jack Follman’s Pac-12 Offensive Line Unit Rankings

Unlike other Conference units, the 2021 OL groups are both strong and deep


  By Jack Follman, SuperWest Sports

June 10, 2021



We’ve done Pac-12 units that haven’t been very strong or deep but here’s one I think is both—the Pac-12 offensive lines.

There wasn’t much lost to the NFL after 2020, with a lot of veterans coming back, and units that blocked well in the 2020 season. I think there’s a clear top group and a bunch after that who have some really nice pieces.

The unit lacks the star power of guys like Penei Sewell but there’s some great groups in here. Here’s how I think they stack up.


1. Washington
Jaxson Kirkland | Michael Workman/Icon Sportswire

Tackles: Jaxson Kirkland, Victor Curne 
Guards: Henry Bainivalu, Ulomoo Ale
Center: Luke Wattenberg 

The Huskies could have their best offensive line in a very long time.

All five starters from 2020 return and are led by four-year starter Jaxson Kirkland who has first round NFL buzz and could have left for the 2021 Draft.

All but Ale are Second/Third Team All-Pac-12 type players.


2. Oregon
Alex Forsyth | Sports Illustrated

Tackles: Steven Jones, Kingsley Suamataia
Guards: TJ Bass, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, Ryan Walk
Center: Alex Forsyth

This unit had the impossibly tall task of replacing five starters last year and they did just fine, but not remarkable.

The good news is now that all five starters return, Forsyth, Bass, and MAL are All-Pac-12 type players and I think Mario Cristobal will be dedicated to getting more out of this unit.

Getting a young blue chip player like Suamataia to beat out one of the veterans as a true freshman would probably be ideal for them, and could happen.


3. Utah
Nick Ford | Utah Athletics

Tackles: Nick Ford, Simi Moala, Jaren Kump, Bamidele Olaseni
Guards: Sataoa Laumea, Braeden Daniels
Center: Orlando Umana

Playing young offensive linemen is paying off for the Utes as their young talent has turned into veteran standouts like Nick Ford, who is a first-team All-Pac-12 level player with the return of veteran Umana helping as well.

The best player on the line could actually be Laumea, who earned All-Pac-12 honors as a freshman in 2020.

There’s also good experienced depth here.


4. Oregon State
Brandon Kipper | OSU Athletics

Tackles: Joshua Gray, Brandon Kipper
Guard: Nous Keobounnam, Jake Levengood
Center: Nathan Eldridge

The Beavers have two of the Conference’s best in Eldridge and Gray, who are both First-Team All-Pac-12 candidates, and Eldridge, a proven super senior.

These guys plowed open a ton of holes in 2020 for Jermar Jefferson and should do the same in 2021 with Kipper and Keobounnam, great multi-year starters.


5. Arizona State
Dohnovan West | Sun Devil Athletics

Tackles: Kellen Diesch, Ben Scott
Guards: Henry Hattis, LaDarius Henderson
Center: Dohnovan West

I could easily have made this my number two group.

West is moving to center and could easily be the Pac-12’s best lineman by the end of the season.

Diesch is one of the conference’s best tackles and is taking an extra year and Hattis and Scott are some of the best veteran linemen in the conference.


6. Stanford
Walter Rouse | Stanford Daily

Tackles: Walter Rouse, Myles Hinton
Guards: Branson Bragg, Barrett Miller, Jake Hornibrook
Center: Drake Nugent

Do not sleep on this unit.

Transfers, injuries and disappointing upperclassmen have led to these guys seeing a lot of snaps as youngsters the past couple of seasons.

There’s talent and grit here, and there’s an outside chance they could be the next great Stanford offensive line. They’ll have to prove it though.


7. Washington State
Abraham Lucas | AP Photo

Tackles: Abraham Lucas, Liam Ryan
Guards: Jarrett Kingston, Konner Gomness
Center: Brian Greene

The Cougars have been producing some of the best pass blocking lines in the nation for almost 10 years now, but things have changed a bit under Nick Rolovich, and they lack some depth this year.

They’re led by the best offensive lineman in the Pac-12 in my opinion, though, in Lucas, and a good veteran in Ryan.


8. USC
Andrew Voorhees | USC Athletics

Tackles: Jalen McKenzie, Courtland Ford, Jonah Monheim
Guards: Andrew Voorhees, Justin Dedich
Center: Brett Neilon

This is far from one of the most talented line groups we’ve ever seen at USC, but it’s still talented for a Pac-12 unit right now.

Voorheees and Neilon are borderline All-Pac-12 players, and it sounds like they’re doing some fixing to their broken offensive line scheme this off-season, which should help.


9. Cal
Michael Saffell | Sports Illustrated

Tackles: Will Craig, Brandon Mello
Guards: Valentino Daltoso, McKade Mettauer
Center: Michael Saffell

A solid unit. Saffell is one of the best centers in the conference and Craig and Daltoso are good veterans.

This won’t be an electric unit but their floor is pretty low.


10. Colorado
Casey Roddick | Colorado Athletics

Tackles: Frank Fillip, Jake Wiley
Guards: Casey Roddick, Kary Krutsch
Center: Colby Pursell

I really like this group for where they are ranked. They could easily slide up to seventh for me.

Pursell and Fillip lead the way as the kind of players who could be All-Pac-12, and Wiley could be a future star.


11. UCLA
Sean Rhyan | 247Sports

Tackles: Sean Rhyan, Alec Anderson
Guards: Paul Grattan, Jon Gaines II
Center: Sam Marrazzo

This group will be aided if blue chip recruit Rhyan can continue from his very promising freshman form in 2019.

Other than that, there’s some depth and experience, but it’s not remarkable.


12. Arizona
Donovan Laie | GOAZCATS

Tackles: Jordan Morgan, Paiton Fears
Guards: Donovan Laie, Josh Donovan
Center: Josh McCauley

The Wildcats have some experience coming back with veterans like Laie and McCauley.

There’s some potential here.