Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson leads a very respectable interior offensive line group that will also likely include Graham Barton who played tackle at Duke but is generally considered a guard for NFL projection purposes. They are the two most likely first-round IOL candidates, with Zach Frazier playing the longshot who could potentially side into Day 1 draft territory.
1 - Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
Rated as the top center in the country according to 247Sports, Powers-Johnson (6’033/328) wasted little time establishing himself in the Oregon offensive line rotation, logging 126 snaps across the three interior line positions, even playing defensive line in the Alamo Bowl. He was charged with just one pressure allowed and a sensational 85.9 PFF pass block grade as a true freshman in 2021. As a sophomore JPJ spent most of his 400 reps rotating through at right guard while again excelling in pass protection, allowing just two pressures with a 99.4% blocking efficiency and 84th percentile PFF grades in both the run and pass game.
It wasn’t until 2023 when he finally transitioned to center, promptly earning the second-highest PFF pass block grade in the Power Five with just one pressure and a pristine 0.6% blown block rate on run plays. Powers-Johnson’s elite play earned him Unanimous First-Team All-American accolades to go with winning the Rimington Trophy, which is annually awarded to the nation’s best center. The year-three declaree would go on to solidify his status as the 2024 class’s top interior lineman with an outstanding Senior Bowl performance where he stonewalled every pass rusher he faced that week.
JPJ pushed out 30 bench reps (88th%) and a 32” vertical (94th%) in addition to all the position drills at the Combine, but didn’t perform any movement testing. His thick trunk and jarring hands allow Powers-Johnson to neutralize defenders in pass protection. He displays advanced processing when passing off defenders, and clears out anything in his path as a run blocker while showcasing above-average range and speed. Jackson Power-Johnson profiles as a plus starter on the interior within a year of entering the NFL despite being just 21 years old.
2 - Cooper Beebe, Kansas State
Beebe (6’032/322) was recruited as a defensive tackle, but moved to the offensive side of the ball permanently shortly after arriving on KSU’s campus in 2019. He started seven games at right tackle in 2020, allowing three sacks and an elevated 3.3% pressure rate before sliding over to left tackle the following year. Beebe’s play improved substantially, slashing his pressure rate to 1.4% with zero sacks allowed. Despite locking down the blind side edge with a sterling 87.5 PFF pass block grade and 81st percentile run grade, The Kansas City, MO product was asked to change positions for a third-consecutive season.
Now a left guard, Beebe once again thrived by posting the fourth-highest pass block grade (89.3) in the nation and decreasing his pressures allowed from 10-to-9 despite playing 64 more pass reps than the prior year. His blocking acumen reached its apex last season, with Beebe holding opponents to a microscopic 0.5% pressure rate despite logging 122 snaps between LT and RT. He received All-American recognition for the second consecutive season in addition to being named a finalist for both the Outland and Campbell Trophies.
Beebe flashed elite speed with a 1.74s 10-yard split (94th%) and 5.03s 40-yard dash (92nd%), while his 7.44s 3-Cone charted in the 96th percentile for a 9.26 RAS. While his movement testing was exceptional, his 31.5” length arms are about as short as you’ll find among NFL guards and he only put up 20 bench reps, which tied for the lowest mark in the 2024 OL class.
A two-time Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year, he is virtually impenetrable in pass protection thanks to a colossal trunk that roots himself to the ground when engaged. His nimble feet and lateral agility allows Beebe to stay square in pass protection. Educated hands and counters keep his pads clean, while advanced movement traits allow him to punish opposing defensive linemen in the run game. He occasionally will lose a rep to twitchy three-techs who are fast enough to beat him off the snap, and can sometimes whiff when searching for second-level contact against safeties/linebackers. Beebe is versatile, athletic and smart enough to earn early Day 2 draft capital this April.
3 - Zach Frazier, WVU
A four-time West Virginia high school state wrestling champion, Frazier only lost two matches in his entire high school career. He became an instant fixture as a true freshman in 2020, starting eight games at left guard and allowing just one sack on 368 pass reps. Frazier would go on to log 2,584 snaps over the next three seasons as the full-time starter at center, earning a 74th+ percentile PFF grade in both the run and pass phases in all three of those campaigns.
The three-time WVU captain had a standout 2023, allowing a 1.1% pressure rate with zero sacks in addition to earning consensus Second Team All-America honors. Like some of his IOL contemporaries Frazier went through position drills at the Combine, displaying excellent movement skills and agility in the process, but chose to only bench which he put up 30 times (88th%).
An astute processor, the three-time Academic All-Big 12 lineman utilizes his advanced understanding of leverage from his wrestling days to wrangle opponents and finish them with tenacity. His somewhat stubby 32.25” arms can inhibit Frazier from stunning opponents with first contact, but his giant 10.875” hands are difficult to dislodge once latched on. He isn’t lightning-quick off the snap but precise angles, fluid hips and a punishing mentality versus the run make up for it. Frazier is a smart, disciplined and pugnacious tone setter who could bring immediate stability to an NFL line looking for a true war daddy on the interior.
4 - Christian Haynes, UCONN
Haynes was an unheralded two-star high school recruit lacking in Power Five interest when he enrolled at UConn back in 2018. He took a redshirt before going on to log four seasons of 800+ snaps, with every single one of his 3,319 career reps coming at right guard. He took his lumps in 2019 allowing 21 pressures and five sacks before taking 2020 off when the UConn program opted out.
The Bowie, MD native returned from the hiatus with a mature, filled out physique and it showed in his play, with Haynes allowing two sacks and 11 pressures despite logging 41 more pass reps than his 2019 effort. His blocking prowess crested in 2022 with Haynes allowing a staggering three pressures and zero sacks on 328 pass reps, good for a 91st percentile PFF pass block grade that ranked number one overall among FBS interior linemen. His outstanding 99.5% blocking efficiency laid the foundation for Haynes to post 85th+ percentile grades in both phases of the game. While his grades dipped slightly in 2023, the Huskies’ mauler still posted an 80th-to-82 run/pass grade percentile split with just one sack, four penalties and a 0.7% pressure rate.
Though his sawed-off 6’026” height is a second percentile mark that is perilously short for interior line play, Haynes makes up for it with slightly above average 33.5” inch length arms. He also is one of the fastest OL in the 2024 class, running a 5.03s 40-yard dash (94th%) to go with a sky-high 33” vert that charts in the 98th percentile for a solid 9.09 Relative Athletic Score.
Stiff, aggressive hands channel his striking power to jolt rushers off their line with the hip-torque to latch onto and drive opponents to the ground. In sync with his linemates on stunts, he swiftly climbs to nullify linebackers when running the ball. Haynes lacks positional malleability and is undersized for interior work, but has a keen understanding of leverage that helps him get underneath opponents’ pads and stall out their rush. Expect to see his name called on Day 2, but his overall value could be slightly suppressed if teams deem him as a right guard only.
5 - Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, Georgia
Van Pran-Granger (6’041/298) arrived on campus in 2020 taking a redshirt before starting every single game for the back-to-back 2021-2022 National Champions over the next three seasons. Despite playing 2,721 snaps over that span, Van Pran-Granger only gave up one sack and one hit while pitching a terrific 98.7% pass blocking efficiency rate.
Compact but thickly built with above-average core strength for a 298-pounder, Van Pran-Granger is a brick house in pass protection as is evidenced by the 72nd percentile or better PFF pass block grades he recorded every year of his Georgia career against blue chip SEC talent. That tendency contributed to an uninspiring 3.6% blown run block rate that was the worst mark on the team in 2023.
Van Pran-Granger was still worthy of almost universal All-American recognition for leading a Georgia squad that only lost one game, the SEC Championship versus Alabama. Though relatively light by modern standards, Van Pran-Granger (6’041/298) possesses the top notch movement capabilities required of all NFL centers, and proved it by running a 7.46s 3-Cone (95th%) and a 1.78s 10-yard split (88th%). However the 22 bench reps (41st%) is reflective of his lack of density across his upper body and less than ideal 31.375” length arms, which can leave SVPG vulnerable to long-limbed IDLs who can use push/pull maneuvers to get past him.
He has a tendency to overrun plays on the second level and he can play upright at times leading to lurches. Length concerns and run game contact rate aside, Van Pran-Granger has solidified himself as a plug-and-play caliber center who flashed the ability to both overpower stout defensive tackles and race to meet linebackers on combo blocks. He’s one of the most projectable interior linemen in the 2024 Draft Class and should play meaningful minutes as a rookie.
6 - Christian Mahogany, BC
Few mid-tier Power Five programs have produced NFL interior offensive linemen with the consistency that Boston College has over the years. Mahogany (6’033/314) was a low three-star high school prospect who took a redshirt in 2019 before starting 11 games at left guard in 2020, allowing three sacks and 15 pressures while recording a respectable 76.0 pass block grade. It all came together for him the following year when he allowed an impressive seven pressures, one sack and one penalty in 317 pass sets. The Second Team All-ACC LG would unfortunately have his hopes dashed due to an offseason ACL tear that cost him the entire 2022 season.
He returned to start every game in 2023, but struggled in the early going allowing four pressures with four penalties in each of his first four contests. Mahogany finished resolutely though, allowing just three pressures and one penalty over the final eight games while earning a formidable 83rd% pass block grade for the second season in a row. His 0.3% pressure rate over 368 pass snaps, and 0.8% blown run block rate are both upper echelon marks for interior offensive linemen.
The Boston College titan didn’t receive a Senior Bowl invite, but unleashed an eye opening Combine performance with 90th+ percentile marks in both jumps, the shuttle run and the 10-yard split. He also sports massive 10.5” hands with vice grip-like latching ability, but did not perform the bench press which is interesting considering the raw strength he displays in games.
A true bully who wants to brutalize opponents, Mahogany has a pugnacious demeanor to his game and will happily plant defenders into the ground if given the opportunity. He unleashes impressive power on contact that routinely sends opponents flailing, but is mobile enough to get off the line quickly so he can finish linebackers and defensive backs with authority on run plays. His penchant for violence can cause Mahogany to bend at the waist and lean into his pass blocks in an effort to maximize impact, leaving him vulnerable to counters. Though he can exhibit rigidness in his movements, it’s important to remember that he was still barely a year removed from the ACL tear and performed admirably down the stretch. If he can iron out some of his technical flaws, then Mahogany has the tools, aptitude and attitude to carve out an impactful NFL career.
7 - Dominick Puni, Kansas
Puni (6’051/303) took a circuitous route to the 2024 Draft, transferring after four years at little known FCS school Central Missouri to an up-and-coming Kansas program led by new HC Lance Leipold. He did not take the opportunity to perform at the Power Five level for granted, immediately assuming the starting left guard position in 2022 and excelling in that role, allowing just seven hurries and one hit in 411 pass reps for a sensational 99% pass blocking efficiency rating.
Though Punit thrived at LG, he was asked to play left tackle last year, and performed almost impossibly well in the high-stress, blind side role earning a 90.4 PFF pass block grade that ranked fourth-highest mark among all FBS offensive linemen. The lynchpin of a Jayhawks offensive line that averaged 206 rushing yards per game, which was the fourth-highest mark in the Power Five, he paced the OL with a team-low 1.3% pressure rate while finishing his two-year Kansas tenure allowing zero sacks and just one QB hit in 1,593 snaps…and he did it at two different positions. NFL Next Gen Stats credits Puni with having the fifth-highest production score of the 2024 guard group.
His Combine performance told an interesting tale with Puni crushing the jumps with a 30” vert (86th%) and 8’11” broad (84th%), followed by a staggering 4.4 shuttle run (99th%) and 7.47s 3-Cone (95th%). He also has the advantage of massive 10.125” mitts and 33.375” arms, which is plenty of length for interior work. That being said, he was a little sluggish in the 10-yard split (1.85s) and 40-yard dash (5.35s) which were each 51st percentile times for the relatively light 303-pounder.
Puni is pegged for guard duty at the next level to take advantage of his outstanding lateral agility and pass protection skills. While technically sound in the run game earning a solid 72.6 run grade with a 1.4% blown run block rate last year, he doesn’t profile as a man-moving road grader who creates havoc in his wake. Puni’s mirroring skills, positional adaptability and clean run blocking fits are positive attributes that could help him quickly establish value in the passing-oriented NFL.
8 - Isaiah Adams, Illinois
A Canadian citizen who played club football in addition to basketball and rugby growing up, Adams went the JUCO route in order to get noticed by more high profile programs. The decision paid off with Adams receiving numerous Power Five offers before enrolling at Illinois to be coached up by renowned offensive line guru HC Brett Bielema.
He immediately slid into the lineup as the starting left guard and became a fixture there, recording 962 snaps with a team leading 120.5 knockdowns while earning the second-highest PFF run blocking grade among Big Ten guards (80.2) in 2022. For the first time in school history Illinois was named a semi-finalist for the coveted Joe Moore Award, which is given to the best offensive line in the country each year.
Signs were pointing up heading into 2023 with Adams looking like a brick wall at LG for the first two games against Toledo and Kansas, posting 83rd+ percentile pass block grades with zero pressures. However he was asked to kick over to right tackle for the remainder of the season to help the team out when starting RT Zy Crisler proved unable to handle the rigors of the position. Unfortunately, playing out of position led to Adams allowing nine sacks and 31 pressures in just 10 games. His 4.4% pressure rate was the worst on the team but it showed just how resilient the Canadian strongman can be.
Adams (6’042/315) performed every drill and test available at the Combine, showing out above average in every rubric with the exception of his 24.5” vertical (26th%) and 22 bench reps (41st%) being the only substandard tests he performed. His 1.8s 10-yard split, 5.22s 40-yard dash and 7.77s shuttle run were all 75th%+ marks that helped him produce a solid 7.23 Relative Athletic Score.
Able to dislodge defenders in the run phase, but will sometimes let them slip from his grasp after jarring them back on initial contact. Adams doesn’t move with burst or lateral fluidity, which can expose his average quickness when playing tackle against freaky Big Ten edge rushers. When he’s locked inside at guard and just has to take on defenders within his space, he looks far more natural and is very difficult for even the most brutish three-techs to overpower when engaged. Teams should overlook the uneven 2023 tape when he was out of position and concentrate on the impact Adams had blocking for Chase Brown at left guard the previous year.
9 - Brandon Coleman, TCU
The son of an American serviceman who was stationed overseas, Coleman spent much of his youth in Berlin, Germany playing basketball before moving to Texas where he picked up football. Due to his late introduction to the game Coleman went the JUCO route and developed into the seventh-rated OT from the 2020 class. He immediately carved out an impact role at RT, earning a rock solid 81.1 pass block grade with one pressure allowed over 115 snaps through four games before suffering a season-ending injury.
He would go on to toggle between left guard and left tackle for the last three years, starting every game at LT for during TCU’s magical run to the National Championship game in 2022, playing a workman-like 1,007 snaps while achieving a career-high 80th percentile PFF overall grade. Last year he logged 465 reps at LT before moving back to LG where he didn’t allow a sack for the third time in four seasons at TCU. His overall level of play dropped as he dealt with the increased movement responsibilities from kicking inside, leading the team with six penalties to go with 20 pressures and a pedestrian 55.5 run block grade.
Coleman received a coveted Senior Bowl invite and made it count, stonewalling FSU DT Braden Fiske and Mekhi Wingo on multiple one-on-one reps while showcasing his ability to mirror and anchor against the top prospects in the country. His torrid offseason continued at the Combine where Coleman blew away the offensive line group with a blazing 4.99s 40-yard dash that ranks in the 97th percentile and a similarly impressive 1.73s 10-yard split (94th%). If those staggering times don’t move the needle for you, he also tossed up a 34” vert (99th%) and 9’06” broad jump (97th%) that reinforces his near-perfect 9.98 RAS. Long-armed (34.625”) and versatile, Coleman is at his best on the inside where he doesn’t have to worry about ultra-athletic edge rushers smoking him on the loop. He fires off the snap and uses advanced movement ability to lead the way on pulls, and has precise hands that shock and hold at the point of attack and he uses fluid hips to torque and turn opponents. He can leave his chest exposed when biting on feints and could stand to develop more cohesive counters. Coleman’s verified traits and athleticism are the kind of attributes NFL offensive line coaches salivate over and will make him a very attractive Day 2 IOL option.
10 - Zak Zinter, Michigan
A four-star recruit out of North Andover, MA, Zinter was on the forefront of Michigan’s retooled roster, starting four games as a true freshman during their disappointing 2-4 campaign in 2020. A career-long right guard, Zinter’s 2.5% pressure rate in 2021 contributed to his middling 66.1 PFF overall grade for the resurgent 12-2 Wolverines. He took a leap in his development in 2022 as a key cog in UM’s Joe Moore Award winning offensive line, cutting his pressures allowed from 16-to-9 despite defending 52 more pass reps.
Last year Zinter was on the way to a storybook final season, earning Unanimous First Team All-American recognition while allowing one sack and just five pressures all season with a sensational 99.7% run block success rate. Then fate struck with Zinter breaking his tibia and fibula in the final game of the regular season against Ohio State, costing him the ability to be on the field as Michigan finished out their undefeated National Championship run.
He measured in at 6’057/309 with 33.5” arms at the Combine, but was obviously unable to perform drills or testing due to his leg injury. His long, well-proportioned frame generates torque and puts a charge into his strikes to knock blitzers off their rush path. High IQ player and three-time Academic All-Big Ten awardee, Zinter is in tune with his responsibilities and has a penchant for cracking free rushers with well-timed punches that put an instant end to their rep.
While he’s quick enough to reach back side blocks, he can get beat to his outside shoulder on run plays, allowing defenders to knife in front of him and disrupt the flow of the play. Though technically sound and showing demonstrable year-over-year improvement, he isn’t quite the athletic specimen when compared to some of his 2024 offensive line contemporaries. That narrative isn’t helped by his injury which kept him from being able to perform in front of scouts. Even still, Zinter consistently won against top-flight B10 competition and has the potential to eventually become an NFL starter.
11 - Mason McCormick, SDSU
12 - Beaux Limmer, Arkansas
13 - Drake Nugent, Michigan
14 - Tanor Bortolini, Wisconsin
15 - Andrew Raym, Oklahoma
16 - Trevor Keegan, Michigan
17 - Hunter Nourzad, Penn State
18 - Dylan McMahon, NC State
19 - Javion Cohen, Miami
20 - CJ Hanson, Holy Cross
21 - Jarrett Kingston, USC
22 - Matt Lee, Miami
23 - Layden Robinson, Texas A&M
24 - Kingsley Eguakun, Florida
25 - X’Zauvea Gadlin, Liberty
