B/R CFB Recruiting: Ranking the Top Offensive Linemen in the 2023 Class

Offensive linemen know they don't get a lot of the headlines when they do their jobs, but if they screw up, everybody is looking to pile on.

That doesn't change the fact that if you don't have a good group of linemen, you rarely (if ever) have a good football team.

That isn't lost on college teams, which dig deep to evaluate linemen who fit their systems each year. It also doesn't get past decision-makers in the NFL, where some of the biggest contracts are reserved for franchise linemen.

This is yet another excellent year for the position group in the 2023 recruiting class. There are 13 projected offensive linemen in the top 100 prospects of the 247Sports composite rankings, the same number as a year ago.

Which ones have the most potential? Several of these guys are heading to the Big Ten and SEC, and one team has a pair of pledges already.

Based on film study and rankings across major services, here is B/R's list of the top "hoggies" in this year's class.

The Steve Addazio experiment is not working at Texas A&M. Jimbo Fisher hired the former Boston College and Colorado State head coach to guide the offensive line, and the Aggies are struggling at the position this year.

In Saturday's loss at South Carolina, they had eight false-start penalties, and while injuries have hit the unit, 105th in rushing offense and 66th in sacks allowed isn't cutting it.

Talent isn't an issue with the way Fisher and Co. have recruited, and while the Aggies signed four offensive linemen in last year's top-ranked class (three 4-stars), none were among the team's top commits. This year, A&M landed a potential star from across the country.

Chase Bisontis, a 6'5", 290-pound lineman from powerhouse Don Bosco Preparatory School in New Jersey, is coveted by top programs around the nation.

While there are a lot of concerns in College Station, Bisontis' commitment seems solid, which is huge news considering just how well he's playing. Even with a lot of young talent along the front for the Aggies, Bisontis could carve an early role.

The best things about his skill set are his physicality in the run game and his ability to play several positions inside and out. He is a Swiss Army knife-type of lineman, and he has a high upside no matter which spot he settles in.

Kirby Smart has had little difficulty going anywhere with the Georgia Bulldogs brand and convincing players to join the defending national champions.

That includes enemy territory such as South Carolina.

Even with Dabo Swinney established in the recruiting game at Clemson and Shane Beamer holding his own at South Carolina, Smart has plenty of sway. He swooped into Mount Pleasant and plucked a commitment from versatile offensive tackle Monroe Freeling.

At 6'7", 283 pounds, Freeling is far from a finished product developmentally and possesses the ideal frame to be a bookend tackle for years. He is big, athletic and is ranked as the nation's No. 58 player and seventh overall tackle.

We believe he's a little better than that. Freeling is extremely athletic and nimble for his size and plays on both sides of the ball in high school. He especially looks like a force in pass blocking, and he has advanced footwork for this stage of his career.

This year's UGA offensive line was named to the Joe Moore midseason honor roll for its performance, and line coach Stacy Searels has a good group, even if it has been uneven at times, such as during the first three quarters of a 26-22 win over Missouri.

Freeling probably needs a year of development in a college program to gain weight and understand the scheme, but he'll be a multiyear starter and has high-round NFL draft potential.

Findlay, Ohio, is Buckeyes country. It's rare that Ohio State head coach Ryan Day lets a coveted guy from his state leave the borders.

Luke Montgomery won't break that trend.

With several potential NFL draft selections expected to depart after this year—including Paris Johnson Jr., who may just be the top tackle prospect coming out—the Buckeyes will have plenty of available snaps.

Montgomery has a tall, lanky frame to add weight to and could play at 30 pounds heavier, but the 6'5", 280-pound tackle may be a candidate to play right away. The nation's fifth-rated offensive tackle prospect and No. 46 overall recruit is big and athletic enough to shine in the future even if not in 2023.

When you consider 2022 is really just his second year as an offensive tackle after he started his career as a D-lineman and a tight end (and being good enough to be recruited at a high-major level at those positions), he has plenty of room to develop.

With his size, bend and athleticism, he could be the complete package for the Buckeyes as a future blindside protector and potential NFL starter.

James Franklin has done a sterling job of recruiting over the past few cycles, and a big reason for that is his ability to secure great players from within Penn State's sphere of influence, including Pennsylvania and Virginia.

He has gone into the latter state again this year to get a massive building block for a unit desperately needing to stack elite classes.

The Nittany Lions are playing much better along the offensive front this year, and they have a couple of exceptional pieces to that puzzle in the 2023 class. Alex Birchmeier is the 6'5", 285-pound Ashburn, Virginia, native who is coming in next year to help.

He is the best interior offensive line prospect in this class and a top-50 recruit who is polished enough to start immediately.

He's super-strong, a high school wrestler whose brother wrestles for Navy. He's a tough, hard-nosed Big Ten-type lineman who looks like a throwback and is the kind of player any lover of smashmouth football should want to watch.

Birchmeier's leadership, power and mean streak are ideal traits for any lineman, and he is as good as they come for a projected guard. This is a big-time recruiting win for Franklin and a unit needing difference-makers.

Nobody cares about first-year LSU coach Brian Kelly's Louisiana accent right now.

Not only is he winning games after a slow start in Baton Rouge, but he has also developed quarterback Jayden Daniels from the scrap heap, and he's recruiting at a high level.

In the past, the Bayou Bengals didn't lose players of Zalance Heard's ilk (unless it was to Nick Saban and his established relationships in the Bayou), and the 6'5", 300-pound tackle didn't get away from Kelly either.

Now, it's just a matter of how the Tigers figure out a very good problem on the offensive front the next few years. They're already playing a pair of true freshman offensive tackles in Will Howard and Emery Jones Jr.

Heard is physical, powerful and an outstanding athlete for a guy his size, having transitioned from the defensive line. He has the versatility and nastiness to play on the interior too.

Heard has a 7-foot-plus wingspan and nearly 37-inch arms, which are traits that translate to the exterior of the line, but that depends on how his early development goes. Perhaps Jones is the one who slides inside if Heard is as good as advertised.

No matter if Heard is ready to go or if he needs some seasoning like other great things in Cajun country, he has one of the highest long-term ceilings of any player on this list.

Reading, Pennsylvania, has been a recruiting hotbed in recent years, and the same city that produced Nicholas Singleton for Penn State in last year's class is giving them another gem in the 2023 cycle.

Wyomissing High School's J'ven Williams will immediately compete for a big role in Happy Valley.

At 6'4", 285 pounds, Williams is big, lean and athletic and could add 20-30 more pounds and not lose much athleticism. His work in the run game stands out, which isn't always easy for a player as tall as him.

While he looks like he needs work in pass blocking, it's actually something his 247Sports profile notes as being more advanced than players his age. If that's the case, it looks like developing strength and adding weight are the last mile markers before he becomes a college-ready prospect.

He could play tackle, but his position is in question (On3 believes he's a future guard), so fellow commit Alex Birchmeier may have a quicker path to playing time because he's more physically developed and established on the interior. But Williams may have a bit more long-term potential.

It's quibbling to say either one is better. The best news for James Franklin and the Nittany Lions is they can bring them both along at their own pace, and each is a good-looking prospect who can help continue the unit's upswing.

It was extremely difficult to determine whether to rank Charles Jagusah third or fourth, but, in the end, the player on the next slide has a higher long-term ceiling.

That shouldn't take anything away from a polished, premier talent in Jagusah, who is committed to Notre Dame and should give head coach Marcus Freeman a massive piece of the offensive front.

The Illinois native could start immediately in South Bend, and while he is a bit lower here, On3 ranks the 6'6", 308-pounder as the nation's No. 1 offensive lineman and the No. 6 prospect.

He's the most college-ready player on this list, possessing exceptional run-blocking ability thanks to his nasty streak and massive strength. He also gets good leg bend on his pass blocking, and he can change directions and keep speedy defenders off his quarterback.

He's not quite as great of an athlete as the trio of players above him, but Jagusah already has a college body and is a high school wrestler who is nimble on his feet and has shown several traits that make him a humble but effective leader, according to On3.

There are a lot of reasons to love what Jagusah brings, and he is the No. 44 overall player and the fourth-rated offensive tackle in the 247Sports composite rankings.

The Irish are getting a good one who could become a high-round draft pick.

Samson Okunlola, the first uncommitted player on this list, has some big-time suitors, including Alabama, Miami, Michigan State, Georgia, Florida, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State and USC.

While coach Mario Cristobal's Hurricanes are the Crystal Ball favorite to land him, the war to win Okunlola's signature is far from over, and several schools are putting on full-court presses. The Brockton, Massachusetts, product could be a game-changing talent that fortifies an offensive line early.

At 6'5", 305 pounds, Okunlola is a top-20 player in both 247 Sports' and its composite rankings list and the third-rated offensive tackle in each. That's exactly where he falls here, thanks to his many unteachable physical attributes and massive potential.

Okunlola is a high school wrestler, and having that strength is always a bonus, but he is also an agile, athletic lineman who holds his weight well and could play at 320 or 330. All of that makes him a potential phenom.

There isn't a whole lot to critique when you watch him because he does everything so well and has all the physical traits. He doesn't play against quality high school competition and may need some time to adjust to the college game, but he'll be elite soon.

Kadyn Proctor may be the next great Iowa Hawkeyes offensive lineman if he sticks to his pledge to the in-state team, despite its gargantuan offensive struggles.

He could eventually be college football's best lineman.

Penn State, Oregon, Michigan and Alabama were major interests for the Des Moines product before he pledged to coach Kirk Ferentz's team in June, and there haven't been any solid recent reports of his waffling. Bama Online's Hank South did mention recently Proctor has said he'd like to watch a game in Tuscaloosa. That's at least something to monitor.

Proctor is a 6'7", 330-pound road-grader who dominates competition and looks like he could become an all-conference player relatively quickly. He's the top-rated offensive lineman in the 247Sports rankings and the second-best in the composite rankings.

He has violent hands and is extremely nimble on his feet for a guy his size. Without question, he is a future left tackle in college and likely in the NFL. He can move in all directions quickly and has the size and agility you need for protecting the edge. His length will be a major problem for any speed-rushing defensive ends.

Once he gets his technique down, he'll be worth the price of admission if you love seeing dominant offensive linemen.

Big, bad Francis Mauigoa is another elite prospect who is committed to a struggling team.

One of the main reasons for the 3-4 Miami Hurricanes' woes is an atrocious offensive line, which is a primary recruiting focus for Mario Cristobal.

The first-year Hurricanes head coach inherited a bad situation along the offensive front, where former head coach Manny Diaz left just 14 offensive lineman from the past five recruiting classes, per AllHurricanes. Those depth and talent concerns are rearing their heads for a team that's 93rd in sacks allowed.

While the Hurricanes have five OL commits, Mauigoa is without question the centerpiece. The American Samoa native has to hope he's joined by some other high-profile players (like Okunlola), but while other teams won't stop trying to court Mauigoa, his commitment seems solid.

That's huge news for a Miami team that needs him as badly as anybody needs any recruit.

Nobody is a lock to start right away, but opportunity meets elite potential here.

Mauigoa is a 6'5", 330-pound force who shouldn't be able to move as fluidly as he does at his size. He's probably the most powerful lineman in this year's class and was once a high-profile defensive line prospect.

As 247Sports' Andrew Ivins wrote, Mauigoa "simply overwhelms defenders," and he has the versatility to play any position along the offensive front. While he could be a right tackle (and it's where he projects), he also could be an NFL guard.

Mauigoa who will play early and dominate often.

All stats courtesy of cfbstats and Sports Reference. Player rankings courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.

Follow Brad Shepard on Twitter, @Brad_Shepard.