Bell: Ranking Top Offensive Linemen in 2024 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the offseason saying that they want to “win with their bigs” and they’ve shown every indication that further upgrading the offensive line is near the top of their priority list. Even after trading up for Broderick Jones last April, there’s a very good chance that Omar Khan takes at least one, if not two, trench players in the first couple days of the NFL Draft. Luckily for the franchise, this draft is loaded with talent and we could potentially see a record number of offensive lineman taken in the first round. Here’s how the grades fell on my board.

1. Joe Alt (Notre Dame)

Franchise altering left tackle prospect who is very light on his feet, consistently balanced with an understanding of how to use his levers to make first significant contact. Alt isn’t necessarily a people mover with jarring play strength but he’s still a solid run blocker already. He’s such a good athlete who plays with shockingly good leverage despite his height and has all the goods to protect a star quarterback at the next level.

2. Troy Fautanu (Washington)

Outstanding athlete with lightning quick strikes to combine a unique, aggressive playstyle capable of keeping defenders off balance on every snap. Fautanu’s snatch-trap move is epic but his playstyle is a bit hectic in nature which does lead to some rough losses on tape. However, he was tested in college and showed the capability of maximizing his length and athleticism which give credence to the notion that he could potentially be a five-position player on the offensive line.

3. Olu Fashanu (Penn State)

Rangy pass protector with rare movement skills and flashes of independent hand usage that indicate a high-quality understanding of the position. Fashanu was rarely challenged but the Ohio State film showcased what happens when NFL caliber edge rushers take advantage of him playing too tall in pass pro. The position comes natural to him as he’s already a polished pass blocker that understands stunts/blitzes at a high level and has immense upside, especially if he becomes a more physical run blocker.

4. Amarius Mims (Georgia)

Surprisingly polished pass protector who is smooth out of his stance and has excellent length, which allows him to make first significant contact with ease. Mims can be prone to playing too tall in the run game and the sample size is small, with questions about his durability. However, these tools simply don’t grow on trees: long, rangy tackles that can handle speed and power rushers equally as well are very difficult to find making it possible to envision him as one of the best players out of this entire class when it’s all said and done.

5. J.C. Latham (Alabama)

Massive, physically imposing right tackle with great hand usage and his huge mitts which allow him to latch on and move people easily. Latham can handle power rushers in his sleep but how he deals with NFL-level speed and finesse will be the key to his development. Overall, he’s a young player with excellent play strength and someone that has the ability to be a true difference maker in the trenches.

6. Jackson Powers-Johnson (Oregon)

Heat seeking missile out in space capable of making targets evaporate on contact with a rare, thick frame that we don’t see as often anymore at the position. Powers-Johnson plays taller than he’s actually listed and could stand to play with better knee bend. In his first year as a starter, he was lockdown in pass protection with a nice combination of athleticism and physicality to make a positive impact immediately at the pivot.

7. Graham Barton (Duke)

Explosive run blocker that understands angles, sustains blocks and finishes defenders at an elite level. Barton’s transition to the interior is necessary due to length concerns but he’ll need to improve his hand timing and placement to avoid giving up his chest to power. His foot quickness and superb play strength give him immense upside at the center position.

8. Taliese Fuaga (Oregon State) 

Zone blocking extraordinaire who plays with violent intentions, unmatched intensity and shows exceptional quickness off the ball. Fuaga has some potential fatal flaws in pass pro, specifically how heavy he is on his outside hand which leads to some quick losses off the edge. His understanding of space and angles is fantastic, he creates a lot of displacement on contact and a move inside should mask some of his deficiencies and allow him to excel early on in his career.

9. Tyler Guyton (Oklahoma)

Gigantic, lean physical specimen with plenty of pocket range while displaying patient but heavy hands in pass protection. At this point in time, Guyton’s footwork is a mess and crafty rushers can get him off balance which leads to some ugly losses. There’s real power to be unlocked as an impact run blocker, particularly at the second level, and his athletic profile offers hope that he can morph into an island blocker some time during his rookie contract.

10. Zach Frazier (West Virginia)

Leverage monster with a low center of gravity and an innate feel for how to stay balanced and use his grip strength to grapple defenders to the turf. By NFL standards, Frazier is just an average athlete for the center position which brings questions on how much more there is to unlock. His wrestling background is extremely apparent on tape and those skills have molded him into a tough, highly intelligent center and his bevy of experience should make for a relatively seamless transition to the league.

11. Christian Haynes (UConn)

Punishing interior offensive lineman who plays with incredible intensity combined with the ideal athleticism to thrive as a weapon in a wide zone offense. Haynes is already 24-years old with an anchor that slowly dies out to power over time. He uses his length well in pass pro, his first step off the ball in the run game allows him to execute reach blocks at a very high level and despite an enormous jump in competition, his well-roundedness is enough to believe in his ability to come in and start right away as a rookie.

12. Jordan Morgan (Arizona)

Fluid run blocker that shows off strong, well-placed hands with the lateral agility to routinely get his hat to the play side of zone run plays to seal off defenders. Morgan struggles to get to his landmarks in pass protection, consistently having to cross his feet to get depth in his sets which make his transition inside fairly obvious. He knows how to reposition his hands in pass pro, shows a solid understanding of stunts and twists headed his direction and his run blocking prowess should shine inside in the right scheme.

13. Kingsley Suamataia (BYU)

Underclassmen with experience on both sides of the line that displays proper weight distribution in pass pro, good play strength and uses forceful chop downs on edge rushers. Sauamataia is a work in progress in many areas and needs time to develop a better feel on how to utilize some of his physical gifts. The BYU product can wash defenders on down blocks and the flashes of independent hand usage in pass pro is encouraging but patience is the key to his future in the pros.

14. Cooper Beebee (Kansas State)

Wide-bodied, stout player who has played all over the offensive line throughout his college career thanks to great awareness, powerful hands and the ability to anchor down against bull rushes. Beebe’s 31.5-inch arms are a historical outlier which could certainly become a real issue against stronger, longer and more explosive players off the ball at the next level. Looking past the length concerns, he’s a mauler in the run game with solid mirror skills in pass protection and really helped his stock with his testing numbers at the NFL Combine in Indy.

15. Roger Rosengarten (Washington)

Nimble mover with active feet and a ton of true pass sets on his resume that show off his ability mirror even the most athletic opponents. It’s pretty easy to see that Rosengarten lacks the lower body strength to handle speed to power and his length is merely average is also below the threshold for what the NFL strives for at the position. His playstyle is similar to his teammate Troy Fautanu: built around keeping pass rushers off balance, insane athleticism and a red-hot motor making him an intriguing day two developmental tackle.

16. Brandon Coleman (TCU)

Long-armed offensive lineman with positional versatility (RG/LG/LT) and hands that jar defenders on contact.

17. Dominick Puni (Kansas)

 Heavy-handed mauler with a nasty demeanor and enough athleticism to work on the move.

18. Blake Fisher (Notre Dame)

Independent hand striker that keeps the pocket relatively clean and a dangerous finisher when he squares guys up in space.

19. Patrick Paul (Houston)

Bundle of tools who can overwhelm defenders when he’s on his game and offers an intriguing reward for a patient coaching staff.

20. Kiran Amegadjie (Yale)

Knockback specialist who dominated FCS-level competition with starting-caliber traits to develop.