Today I wanted to look at interior offensive line prospects in the upcoming draft, a position that the Pittsburgh Steelers could (and should in my opinion) look to upgrade. The graph below uses their 2022 PFF Grade and their current rank on PFF’s Big Board that updates through the draft process:
The top overall player on PFF’s current board at the position is Florida’s O’Cyrus Torrence at number 34, meaning they have no player at the position going in the first round. He played the most in 2021 with 800+ snaps, along with just over 700 in 2020 and 698 last season, playing right guard almost exclusively, with a bit of time at right tackle in 2021. Torrence had a high 80 overall and run block grade, a 90+ zone block grade, and mid 70 pass block and gap block grades, and a mid 60 true pass set grade. He did not allow a sack the last three seasons, but allowed more hurries each year (eight, four, two). Our own Alex Kozora mentioned him as an early fit for the Steelers on the Senior Bowl roundtable podcast but noted agility as a weakness, along with Tyler Wise liking the fit as well. He made my game notes several times as well, mostly positive with several positive pass block wins including two pancakes, but a bit more up and down as a run blocker in my opinion and had an ineligible man downfield penalty.
TCU’s Steve Avila saw his workload increase each of the last three years with 500+ snaps in 2020 when he played the most at center along with 100+ at right tackle, 746 snaps the following season mostly at center again and a bit of time at right guard, and a whopping 1,020 snaps in 2022 when he played the vast majority at left guard. He had a low 70 overall grade, mid 80 pass block grade, mid 70 zone block grade, mid 60 run block and true pass set grades, but a mid 50 gap block grade. Avila did not allow a sack in 2022, after allowing two in each of the previous years, along with an improvement in hurries the last two seasons considering his snap increase (nine, 11, six). He also made my game notes several times in a positive light, with a few pass block wins, along with a couple in the run game including one to the second level, with my only negative note was losing a pass block rep.
Luke Wypler of Ohio State played a minimal 15 snaps in 2020, following that up with 800+ the next two years, with his highest of 860 coming in 2021 and every snap coming at center. In 2022 he had a low 80 overall, run block, and true pass set grades (with the latter being great), a mid 80 pass block and zone block grade, and a low 60 gap block grade. Wypler allowed one sack last season along with seven hurries each of the last two seasons, with no sacks allowed in 2021 on his largest snap count.
Minnesota’s John Michael Schmitz had the most snaps in 2021 (837), following that up with 767 last year after playing 400+ in 2020, with every opportunity coming at center. Last season he had the highest 92.3 grade of this group, along with 90+ run block and zone block grades, low 80 pass block and gap block grades, and a good mid 70 true pass set grade. Schmitz allowed two sacks and five hurries in 2022, with better marks the prior year with no sacks and five hurries on more snaps, and no sacks and four hurries in 2020 on less opportunity. He is a favorite of many on our staff, with Dave Bryan seeing good push from him on tape, Kozora liking his potential to play guard as well, and Jonathan Heitritter seconding that notion and enjoys his nastiness as a run blocker and getting out on combo/screen blocks in the pass game. He also made my notes from the Senior Bowl game with many positives, including several wins on both run and pass blocks, particularly enjoyed a great hustle play to run to the pile and push it for a first down, with a negative getting pushed back off the snap which tripped the QB on a run play.
Joseph Tippmann of Wisconsin saw his opportunities increase each season, with a minimal 11 snaps at right guard in 2020, 687 at center the following year, and 758 at center in 2022. He had high 70 overall, run block, and pass block grades, a mid 70 zone block grade, low 70 gap grade, and good high 60 true pass set grade. Tippmann allowed one sack last season, his only one the last three years, and only two hurries in each of the last two seasons which is impressive given his snap count, and in comparison to the players previously mentioned.
North Dakota State’s Cody Mauch had 542 snaps in 2020, his most of 891 the following year, and 856 in 2022, with the majority of his opportunities coming at left tackle and 100+ at right tackle in 2020 along with 15 snaps at guard over three seasons. In 2022 he had 90+ overall, run block, and gap block grades, low 80 pass block and great true pass set grades, and a low 70 zone block grade. Mauch allowed one sack in each of the last two seasons along with none in 2020 which is impressive at left tackle, with allowed hurries of six in 2022, after having seven and three the prior two years. His versatility was on display at the Senior Bowl, playing all five spots with quality play that held up against higher competition, and is another player our team really likes as a potential Steeler. Bryan noted him as a toolsy player and enjoying his pulling ability, our own Ross McCorkle sees him as a likely guard and enjoyed his nasty demeanor. Mauch littered my game notes with mostly positives, primarily as a run blocker including combo/second level blocks on a few, hustling to push the pile on one, and one at center that included a good shotgun snap, but did lose a pass block rep and was pushed back on a run block.
Now for players outside PFF’s top 100, starting with USC’s Andrew Vorhees who had the most snaps in 2021 at just over 900 (500 at left guard, 400+ at left tackle), compared to 720 last season and 400+ in 2020 when he played nearly every snap at left guard. Last season he had low 80 overall, run block, and pass block grades, a 90+ zone block grade, a good high 60 true pass set grade, and mid 60 gap block grade. Vorhees allowed two sacks and 12 hurries in 2022 which were his most the last three years, compared to no sacks and 11 hurries in 2021 on more snaps, and one sack and seven hurries in 2020 on less opportunity.
Michigan’s Olusegun Oluwatimi saw increased opportunity each of the last three seasons (918, 910, 718) and played every snap at center. In 2022 he had low 80 overall and gap block grades, an 83 run block grade, mid 70 pass block and zone block grades, but slightly above average true pass set grade in the low 60’s. Oluwatimi did not allow a sack and only had four hurries last season (improving each season as snaps increased), compared to three sacks and 12 hurries in 2021, and no sacks and 13 hurries in 2020. He had a strong Senior Bowl game in my opinion particularly on the interior, especially jumping out as a run blocker including good hustle to push the run pile, had a nice pass block getting out in front on a screen, but later in the game they moved him to tackle and lost the edge on a run block and lost a rep on a pass block as well.
Chandler Zavala of North Carolina State did not play in 2020, following this up with 339 snaps in 2021 and much more opportunity last season with 746, with virtually every snap coming at left guard. Last season he had a mid 70 overall and run block grade, a mid 80 pass block grade, upper 70 zone block and great true pass set grades, but upper 50 gap block grade. Zavala did not allow a sack in either season, and improved his hurries from four to three as his snap count more than doubled. He was a Shrine Bowl participant that seemed to end the practice week well.
Notre Dame’s Jarrett Patterson saw the most playing time with 900+ snaps in 2021 and had 550+ the previous season with all of those opportunities coming at center, and had 827 snaps at left guard in 2022. He had low 70 overall and run block grades, mid 70 pass block, zone block, and strong true pass set grades, but a low 60 gap block grade. Patterson impressively did not allow a sack the last three years but did allow hurry numbers of eight, 11, and eight. He was a Senior Bowl Invite that had moments but seemed to have an up and down week.
Jaxson Kirkland of Washington saw increased opportunity each season playing 250+ snaps in 2020, 650+ the following year with all of those snaps coming at left tackle, then played 741 snaps with 689 of those at left guard in 2022. He had mid 70 overall, run block, zone block, and solid true pass set grades, a low 80 pass block grade, and upper 60 gap block grade. Kirkland did not allow a sack in 2022 and allowed seven hurries, improving from eight the previous season and allowed three sacks at left tackle on less snaps, no sacks and two hurries in 2020 on far less opportunity, and was a Shrine Bowl invite.
Penn State’s Juice Scruggs played only 167 snaps in 2020 with most of that time split between both guard spots, then had his most snaps of 900+ the last three years in 2021 with 685 at right guard and 200+ at center, then played 886 snaps last season all at center. He had low 70 overall, zone block, and good true pass sets grades, a mid 70 pass block grade, but lower 60 gap block grade. In 2021, Scruggs allowed two sacks and several hurries (16), improving the numbers to one sack and ten hurries on a bit less opportunity. Our own Josh Carney mentioned him as the best interior lineman all week at the Shrine Bowl, and made my game notes positively, particularly as a run blocker.
Antonio Mafi of UCLA saw increased opportunities in each of the last three years, with all 100+ of his snaps in 2020 coming at left guard, playing 200+ at right guard and 150 at left guard in 2021, then had 910 snaps last season all at left guard. He had mid 80 overall and zone block grades, an upper 80 run block grade, upper 70 gap block grade, and low 70 pass block grade, and slightly above average 63.7 true pass set grade. Mafi allowed three sacks and 13 hurries last season as his workload substantially increased, and also allowed four sacks over the prior two seasons on less opportunity than 2022. He made my Shrine Bowl game notes with a couple nice blocks in the run game.
Alabama’s Emil Ekiyor had the most snaps in 2021 with over 1,000, along with 885 in 2020, and the least last season at just over 700, playing virtually every snap at right guard. He had low 70 overall, run block, zone block, and good pass set grades, a high 70 pass block grade, and mid 60 gap block grade. Ekiyor did not allow a sack his last two seasons compared to two in 2020, allowing the most hurries (18) in 2021 when he played the most, with eight in 2020 and last year. Wise noted him positively at the Senior Bowl with good ability getting to the second level as a positive.
Next, I would like to highlight some other players that are day three options on PFF’s current big board that had strong grades. First up is Arkansas Ricky Stromberg, whose opportunities increased each season (898, 873, 628) with virtually every snap coming at center. In 2022 he had a low 80 overall grade, mid 80 run block and zone block grades, upper 70 pass block and great true pass set grades, but a low 60 gap block grade. Stromberg did not allow a sack last season, compared to three in 2021 and one the previous year, and allowed more hurries as his opportunities increased (11, seven, two). He was described as a massive/mauler type by Carney at the Shrine Bowl, and made my notes with a handful of run block wins but noted two lost reps as well.
Chattanooga’s McClendon Curtis saw more snaps each of the last three seasons, with 250+ in 2020 and just over 700 the following year all at right guard, then playing 730 last season with nearly 500 snaps at left tackle and 200+ at right guard. He had a mid 80 overall grade, 90+ pass block grade, low 80 run block grade, upper 70 zone block and great true pass set grade, and mid 60 gap block grade. Curtis did not allow a sack and only had two hurries on his highest opportunities, impressive with most of those at left tackle though against lesser competition than many of his peers, compared to two sacks and three hurries in 2021, and two sacks and hurries in 2020. Our Senior Bowl scouts had positive things to say, particularly Heitritter noting good body type and measurables for Pittsburgh. He made my game notes with several wins as a run blocker, but as a pass blocker noting more negatives, with one unable to get out in front of a screen.
Now for some more late round prospects on PFF’s current big board with below average grades, and I will discuss some of them. Utah’s Braeden Daniels played over 950 snaps the last two seasons and 134 in 2020 when he played left guard exclusively, playing over 800 snaps at right tackle and 146 more at left guard the following year, and all 966 snaps at left tackle in 2022. He had low 70 overall and zone blocking grades, an upper 70 pass block grade, mid 60 run block and above average true pass set grades, but a poor 47.9 gap block grade. Daniels did not give up a sack last season after allowing one each of the previous two years, and allowed hurries at an increased rate with more playing time (14, 13, one). Daniels was a Senior Bowl invite but opted out.
Nick Broeker of Ole Miss played a lot the last three years, with 800+ snaps in 2020 and 1,017 in 2021 all at left tackle, then playing 1,016 playing nearly all of those at left guard and a bit more at left tackle. He had a mid 60 overall grade, low 70 pass block grade, upper 60 zone block grade, low 60 run block grade, but mid 50 gap block grade and a below average 46.8 true pass set grade. Broeker did not allow a sack last season after having four the previous season and two in 2020, when he had a whopping 19 hurries allowed, following that up with 13 each of the last two years. He made my Senior Bowl game notes a couple times with a pass block win, but losing a rep as a run blocker.
Oregon’s Alex Forsyth had increased opportunities the last three seasons (805, 647, 440) and played exclusively at center. In 2022, he had low 70 overall and run block grades, mid 80 pass block and great true pass set grades, and upper 60 zone and gap block grades. Forsyth did not allow a sack along with only one hurry last year, and also had good numbers with two sacks and three hurries the previous season, along with one sack and two hurries in 2020. He was a Senior Bowl invite but opted out due to injury.
Anthony Bradford of LSU played a minimal seven snaps in 2020, then had 250+ with most of them at left tackle and a bit of time at right guard, and provided 815 snaps mostly at right guard along with some left tackle in 2022. He had a mid 60 overall grade, a 70 run block grade, upper 60 zone and gap block grades, but a mid 50 true pass set and pass block grades. Bradford allowed four sacks and five hurries in his only season with substantial snaps, compared to one sack and five hurries in 2021.
Maryland’s Spencer Anderson had 900+ snaps each of the last two years along with 300+ in 2020, when he played 200+ snaps at right tackle along with a bit of time at center, then over 550+ at right tackle along with 300+ at center, and 750+ snaps at right guard, 100+ at right tackle, and a bit at left guard last season. He had low 60 overall and zone block grades, an upper 70 pass block grade, above average true pass set grade in the mid 60’s, but mid 50 run block and gap block grades. Anderson allowed the most sacks and hurries in this span last year (two and 11), compared to one sack and nine hurries each of the prior two seasons. He made my Shrine Bowl game notes more in a negative light, losing a couple pass block reps with one failing to help inside against clear penetration, but had a nice pass block win as well.
Jerome Carvin of Tennessee had 850+ snaps each of the last two seasons after having 273 in 2020, when he played mostly right guard and a bit of center, then played a near even split around 450 at left guard and center the following year, and played virtually all of his snaps at left guard in 2022. He had mid 50 overall, pass block, and zone block grades, low 50 run block and gap block grades, and an above average true pass set grade in the mid 60’s. Carvin allowed two sacks and eight hurries last season which were his most in the span, compared to no sacks and seven hurries in 2021 and one sack and four hurries in 2020 on far less opportunity. He had up and down moments in the Shrine Bowl, noting a good win in both the run and pass game, but negatives including a bad shotgun snap at center and getting beat off the line on another pass block.
The final player on PFF’s current big board at the position is Washington’s Henry Bainivalu whose opportunities increased each season (862, 766, 264), and played virtually every snap at right guard. In 2022, he had a low 70 overall grade, upper 70 pass block and great true pass set grades, a mid 70 zone block grade, mid 60 run block grade, but mid 50 gap block grade. Bainivalu improved his sack and hurry numbers from three and 11 in 2021 to one sack and eight hurries last year on nearly 100 more snaps. He made my Shrine Bowl game notes with few positive plays in the run game including a nice pulling block, but had a couple losses in pass pro.
There were some names that were left off of PFF’s current draft board I wanted to mention. Jovaughn Gwyn of South Carolina had a strong showing in the Senior Bowl as a late addition, noting several wins as a run blocker including a nice pull, but also lost a rep in the run game along with allowing a pressure and was penalized for holding. Troy’s Jake Andrews had a few nice blocks in the run game in the Senior Bowl, two on pulling blocks, but was pancaked on a play and lost a rep in the pass and ground game as well. Mason Brooks of Ole Miss was a standout in practice according to our crew, and had several positives in my Shrine game notes with several positive run blocks including a pull, but struggled more in the pass game, most notably allowing a strip sack. UCLA’s Jon Gaines impressed some of our crew at Shrine Bowl practices as a late addition, and Carney noting his ability to play guard and center with good strength and hand use.
An upgrade to the position would definitely be welcomed, and hopefully Pittsburgh will bolster the position room in the 2023 draft. While the ranks on PFF’s board will certainly change, and surely some names missing from this list, I hope you enjoyed and learned something from the grade data and notes from the all-star games.
What are your thoughts on this year’s prospects and the data? Thanks for reading and let me know your thoughts in the comments.
