PFF ranks Texas A&M’s 2023 offensive line as a top-10 unit
Texas A&M’s 2022 season was marred by a combination of inexperience, subpar play, and injuries, and the offensive line was no exception to this reality. However, the looming 2023 season offers a fresh slate with heightened expectations.
Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus ranked the best offensive lines entering the 2023 season, and with a handful of experienced returners from the last few seasons, the Aggies found themselves firmly within the top 10 rankings. Now, even the most loyal Texas A&M fan should understand that while the praise and confidence in this unit is welcomed, this unit still carries some notable question marks given last year’s struggles.
According to Football Outsiders, the Aggies’ offensive line ranked 64th in sack rate (6.3%) and 101st in run stuff rate (19.9%) in 2022, which measures the percentage of carries by running backs that are stopped at or before the line of scrimmage. Injuries and inexperience played an influential role in the unit’s underwhelming performance and it showed in the numbers. Texas A&M finished with a dull 50.0 pass-blocking grade and an overall 53.1 passing grade, per PFF.
However, the hope is that the injury bug does not rear its ugly head once more in 2023, and coupled with the fact that last year’s trials gives this unit a bevy of experience to learn from, it does set them up nicely to bounce back. To aid in those efforts, the Aggies have added some depth up front after landing former Boston College lineman Finn Dirstine.
Additionally, as just one of eight FBS programs set to return all five starters, the offensive line could have the benefit of affinity in comparison to other programs, which seek to bolster their front units via the transfer portal.
Below is the breakdown of how every program that finished in Chadwick’s top 10 offensive line rankings stacks up against each other, based on projected starters as well as returners from the 2022 campaign.
Michigan Wolverines
Projected starters: RG Zak Zinter, C Drake Nugent, LG Trevor Keegan, RT Karsen Barnhart, LT LaDarius Henderson
2022 returners: Zinter, Keegan, Barnhart
Get more Michigan news, analysis, and opinions on Wolverines Wire.
Georgia Bulldogs
Projected starters: IOL Tate Ratledge, IOL Sedrick Van Pran, IOL Xavier Truss, T Amarius Mims, T Earnest Greene
2022 returners: Ratledge, Van Pran, Truss
Get more Georgia news, analysis, and opinions on UGA Wire.
Oregon State Beavers
Projected starters: T Taliese Fuaga, LT Joshua Gray, C Jake Levengood, LG Heneli Bloomfield, RG Marco Brewer
2022 returners: Fuaga, Gray, Levengood, Bloomfield
Alabama Crimson Tide
Projected starters: RT JC Latham, C Seth McLaughlin, RG Tyler Booker, LG Darrian Dalcourt, LT Elijah Pritchett
2022 returners: Latham, McLaughlin
Get more Alabama news, analysis, and opinions on Roll Tide Wire.
USC Trojans
Projected starters: RT Jonah Monheim, IOL Justin Dedich, RG Jarrett Kingston, LG Emmanuel Pregnon, LT Michael Tarquin
2022 returners: Monheim, Dedich
Get more USC news, analysis, and opinions on Trojans Wire.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Projected starters: OT Joe Alt, OT Blake Fisher, C Zeke Correll, G Andrew Kristofic, G Billy Schrauth
2022 returners: Alt, Fisher, Correll
Get more Notre Dame news, analysis, and opinions on Fighting Irish Wire.
Texas Longhorns
Projected starters: LT Kelvin Banks Jr., RT Christian Jones, C Jake Majors, G Hayden Conner, G Cole Hutson
2022 returners: Banks Jr., Jones, Majors, Conner, Hutson
Get more Texas news, analysis, and opinions on Longhorns Wire.
LSU Tigers
Projected starters: LT Will Campbell, RT Emery Jones, LG Miles Frazier, C Charles Turner, RG Garrett Dellinger
2022 returners: Campbell, Jones, Frazier, Turner
Get more LSU news, analysis, and opinions on LSU Tigers Wire.
Texas A&M Aggies
Projected starters: RG Layden Robinson, C Bryce Foster, LG Kam Dewberry, RT Reuben Fatheree II, LT Trey Zuhn III
2022 returners: Robinson, Dewberry, Fatheree II, Zuhn III
Get more Texas A&M news, analysis, and opinions on Aggies Wire.
Florida State Seminoles
Starters: LT Robert Scott Jr., C Maurice Smith, RG D’Mitri Emmanuel, RT, Jeremiah Byers, G Casey Roddick
2022 returners: Scott Jr., Smith, Emmanuel
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