Kade Pieper

IOWA • OL • #58
6-3, 298 | Redshirt junior | ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Kade Pieper broke into Iowa’s starting lineup last season at right guard, but only because second-rounder Logan Jones already had center locked down. With a relatively thin frame and short arms for an offensive lineman, 

Pieper is a center through and through. He’s a true “freak” at the position and arguably the most athletic offensive lineman I’ve ever scouted. He moves as well as many of the linebackers he’s trying to find in space. With athleticism at a premium in today’s NFL, Pieper could very easily end up a first-rounder.

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Greg Johnson

MINN • OL • #65
6-6, 325 | Senior | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Greg Johnson is the cleanest returning guard in college football. He checks every physical box you want to see, and he’s shown consistent improvement since breaking into the starting lineup as a true freshman in 2023. He could have come out last season and been a Day 2 pick but returned for his senior campaign to work his way into the first-round mix.

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Luke Montgomery

OHIOST • IOL • #51
6-5, 312 | Senior | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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It doesn’t take more than a quarter of the Texas game in Week 1 to see that Luke Montgomery plays with the kind of nastiness NFL coaches covet. He loves finishing blocks and plays every snap through the whistle. He has the body type to play either guard or center at the next level. While his hands need to become more consistent, that’s to be expected from a first-year starter.

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Jesse Perry

TENN • IOL • #72
6-6, 320 | Redshirt sophomore | ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Jesse Perry split time between right tackle and right guard for the Volunteers last fall, and it looks like the latter will be his home in 2026. A quick look at the end-zone angle on the All-22 tells you that’s a smart move. 

Perry is a thickly built dude who has no problem going toe-to-toe with 300-plus-pounders. His ability to move people as a redshirt freshman was outstanding. I’m excited to see how his game progresses this fall with a greater focus on the interior.

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Anthony Boswell

HOU • IOL • #52
6-2, 301 | Redshirt sophomore | ⭐️⭐️

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One of the biggest surprises for me while watching tape this summer was a plucky redshirt freshman center at Toledo. He played with incredible balance and leverage in an outside zone-heavy scheme.

Anthony Boswell hit the portal to Houston, where he’ll get a nice bump in competition. While the undersized center may not be ready to make the leap after his second season as a starter, it’s already evident on tape that he possesses high-end NFL potential.

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Austin Siereveld

OHIOST • IOL • #67
6-5, 325 | Redshirt junior | ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Austin Siereveld will kick inside to right guard this season after serving as Ohio State’s left tackle last year. That’s probably in his best long-term interest if you saw what Miami’s first-round defensive end duo did to him in the playoffs. Siereveld wins more with technique and body control than quickness and play strength. That skill set should translate well to guard.

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Evan Tengesdahl

CINCY • IOL • #50
6-3, 323 | Redshirt senior | ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Evan Tengesdahl was one of the biggest bright spots in Cincinnati’s disappointing 2025 season. In his first year as a starter, he was easily the Bearcats’ best offensive lineman, allowing only 11 pressures all season.

His upper-body strength stands out in a big way, as he’s able to manipulate large defenders with little more than a shove. That comes in especially handy when clearing out pockets in pass protection. His tape was so good that it’s hard to believe he couldn’t crack Cincinnati’s starting lineup sooner.

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Anthonie Knapp

ND • IOL • #54
6-4, 300 | Junior | ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Yet another tackle-to-guard convert this season, Anthonie Knapp always looked a bit like a fish out of water filling in at left tackle for the oft-injured Charles Jagusah. He was forced into the starting lineup in Week 1 of 2024 as a true freshman, and the only game he missed over the next two seasons was the national championship after suffering a high ankle sprain in the semifinal against Penn State. 

Knapp will kick inside to what looks like his more natural NFL position at left guard this season as redshirt freshman Will Black takes over at left tackle.

Tipping the scales at only 300 pounds, power has never been an issue for the true junior, as he delivers impressive pop on contact. He just doesn’t have the ideal length or movement skills to stick at tackle.

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Iapani Laloulu

OREG • IOL • #72
6-2, 329 | Senior | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Iapani Laloulu is a gap-scheme center who excels at caving in defenders on ace blocks. His pear-shaped build is perfect for displacing bigger nose tackles out of the A-gap to pave the way for his running backs. He may not be the fleetest of foot, but Oregon’s scheme doesn’t ask him to be. 

I’d recommend watching his tape before the foot injury he suffered against USC late in the season, as he looked hampered by it throughout the playoff run.

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Braelin Moore

LSU • IOL • #61
6-2, 301 | Redshirt senior | ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Braelin Moore is the quintessential “effort over talent” center. Despite a small frame and average athletic traits, he treats every rep like a wrestling match. He started for two years at Virginia Tech before transferring to LSU last season. 

While he started at left guard in 2023, Moore projects as a center only in the NFL. At that position, he rarely gave an inch in pass protection for the Tigers, allowing only seven pressures all season.

Ranking all 191 first-round NFL Draft picks since 2020: Best, worst selections of the decade

Mike Renner

Three names to watch

Note: These aren’t necessarily the next three players in my rankings, but rather three prospects who caught my eye for one reason or another.

Clinton Richard, G, Wake Forest

Clinton Richard looked like he was on his way to becoming a star after a dominant performance in his first collegiate game against Kennesaw State last year. Unfortunately, he suffered a broken foot and didn’t return until the final few games of the season. The rising redshirt sophomore has the kind of wide base and long arms that make life difficult for defensive tackles in pass protection.

Brock Riker, C, Penn State

With nimble feet and quick hands, Brock Riker made easy work of the competition at Texas State last season, earning a move to Penn State this fall. We’ll see if the 291-pound center can maintain that level of play against Big Ten competition.

Alani Noa, G, USC

After Kade Pieper, Alani Noa is the best athlete I watched in this interior offensive line class. Technically, though, he’s all over the map. NFL teams will always give high-end athletes every chance to succeed if they show signs of development.

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