The saying goes that football is won and lost in the trenches, and if that’s the case, the centers and guards in the 2024 NFL Draft should come high in demand.
SB Nation polled several of their draft analysts to determine the consensus top-ranked interior offensive linemen. There was plenty of variety throughout each analyst’s top 10, but a unanimous top prospect ended up taking the cake.
Let’s see how SB Nation’s draft experts stack ranked the interior offensive linemen in the 2024 NFL Draft.
10. Javion Cohen, Miami
A former starter at guard for Alabama who made the jump over to Miami, Cohen added more weight in 2023, and it showed. His grip strength looked improved, but the athleticism analysts came to love from his time at Alabama just wasn’t there this past year. When he’s at his best, he offers intriguing physical tools with a good combination of quickness and power. His hand placement and flexibility need ironing out, regardless, but if he can regain his athleticism from his past, he could be a very good value addition for a team on Day 3.
9. Mason McCormick, South Dakota State
A four-year starter who also has starting experience from his 2019 campaign, McCormick is a player with a lot to like. He jumped out of the gym with 98th-percentile performances in both the vertical and broad jump at the Combine. He has a strong anchor, a nasty punch at the initial point of contact, a mean streak, and good coordination when locked up with opponents. Being a small-school blocker without great lateral agility or lower-body flexibility could hurt McCormick, but as a Day 3 depth add, there’s a chance someone can get very good return on their investment.
8. Zak Zinter, Michigan
Had Zinter not broken his tibia and fibula in November, there’s a good chance he would rank higher on this list. He offers great size and length for a guard prospect, and he does a good job of keeping his head on a swivel to find work in pass protection. Pad level and flexibility are issues for him, but Zinter seems like a good draft-and-stash prospect for a team willing to take a bet on the injury for the chance to get a future starter down the line.
7. Christian Mahogany, Boston College
Mahogany was a three-year starter at Boston College who would’ve been a four-year starter had he not torn his ACL in 2022. The power he packs in his jabs, his anchor strength, and his short-area burst off the line of scrimmage project him as a potentially strong run blocker at the next level. His spatial awareness and agility could hold him back, but Mahogany seems like a good backup in Year 1 with eventual starter upside at guard.
6. Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, Georgia
Van Pran-Granger is a sturdy, powerful center who might not have the highest athletic ceiling in the 2024 NFL Draft, but he seems like a solid bet to turn into at least a decent starting center in the pros. He blocks with a mean streak and packs a serious punch at the point of attack, and his pad level helps him even more with standing his ground against power. He might not be as scheme-versatile as some other interior offensive linemen in the class, but he projects as a strong fit in a gap scheme.
5. Cooper Beebe, Kansas State
Beebe spent time as both a tackle and a guard at Kansas State, though he’s much better suited as a guard in the NFL. He’s a high-floor offensive line prospect with a sturdy anchor, a thick build, appropriate weight distribution, good hand usage, and a high football IQ. Though his athleticism doesn’t pop off the screen on tape, he did test very well at the Combine — enough to finish with a 9.28 RAS grade.
4. Christian Haynes, Connecticut
Haynes ended up receiving all of the fourth-place votes in this poll. The first UConn player to earn two All-American recognitions in their FBS era, Haynes is an experienced blocker who’s best at guard but could kick inside to center in a pinch. He’s athletic in a vacuum and showcases impressive coordination in how he rolls his hips through contact to seal off lanes in the run game. Mean, powerful and athletic, Haynes may still be developing as a technician, but the physical tools are palpable.
3. Zach Frazier, West Virginia
A four-time state wrestling champion in high school, Frazier’s background in the sport is apparent in how he blocks at the center position. He keeps his weight underneath and accurately proportioned, he lands his strikes with precise placement and timing, and he has a sturdy anchor that makes it tough for opposing defenders to push the pocket against him. He won’t wow you with his athleticism, but Frazier seems like a pro-ready player who could start right away.
2. Troy Fautanu, Washington
There were a couple offensive linemen with tackle-guard versatility in the SB Nation staff rankings. While players like Jordan Morgan from Arizona and Graham Barton from Duke made it onto our tackles list, Fautanu ended up getting kicked inside. Nonetheless, he’s a high-level prospect who should generate Round 1 consideration. With his lateral quickness, short-area burst, precision as a down blocker and technically-sound skill set, Fautanu projects as an immediate starter with plenty of potential.
1. Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
Powers-Johnson ended up receiving all of the first-place votes for the interior offensive line voting. Previously a versatile backup who dominated in a small sample size in 2022, JPJ dominated at center this past year to become an unanimous All-American and the Rimington Trophy winner. He brings an intriguing combination of size, power, determination, body control and athleticism that gives him a very high ceiling at the next level.
