The past few seasons, one of the strongest position groups at the East-West Shrine Bowl has been the interior offensive linemen. Last year, Pittsburgh Steelers OG Mason McCormick excelled at the showcase, and players such as Christian Mahogany, Juice Scruggs and Steelers OL Spencer Anderson have all gotten drafted after strong performances at the event. This year’s crop of interior offensive linemen is as intriguing as ever, and while it’s a position that won’t be a main priority for the Steelers, it’s an area where they could look to add depth. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see multiple of these players make an impact at the next level.
Joshua Gray – Oregon State
Age: N/A
Height/Weight: 6-4, 310 pounds
Gray is one of the most experienced players in the draft, having played six seasons with 56 career games started at Oregon State, setting a school record. His positional versatility is also attractive, as he was an All-Pac 12 offensive tackle before moving over to guard for his final season. He’s projected to be a guard at the next level, and he could wind up being a late Day 2 or early Day 3 selection. He made the All-Pac 12 second team three times as well as being named an honorable mention once. With his experience and positional versatility, Gray could see his draft stock rise even higher with a strong performance in Dallas.
In 2024, Gray was named a midseason All-American by The Athletic, which was his lone season at guard. He only surrendered one sack and only had one penalty as well. His father played football at USC, and despite entering college as a three-star recruit, Gray is well on his way to being drafted in April.
Drew Kendall – Boston College
Age: 23
Height/Weight: 6-4, 299 pounds
A captain and first-team All-ACC honoree at center in his redshirt junior season in 2024, Kendall will look to join Mahogany as Boston College Eagles to get drafted after their performance at the Shrine Bowl. A local product from Norwell, Mass., who was the No. 12 interior offensive lineman in the class of 2021, Kendall lived up to expectations. He started 37 games over three seasons and helped the Eagles boast a potent rushing attack, finishing No. 13 in the nation in yards per game in 2022.
His father, Pete Kendall, also played at Boston College and was selected in the first round by the Seahawks in 1996, playing 189 games with 188 starts over 13 NFL seasons. While Drew won’t end up being a first-round pick like his father, he’s expected to be drafted, and a good performance in Dallas could see him go somewhere in the middle rounds.
Marcus Wehr – Montana State
Age: 24
Height/Weight: 6-4, 300 pounds.
Like Gray, Wehr began his career as an offensive tackle before transitioning to guard last season, and that’s his best long-term fit in the NFL. The Shrine Bowl has had no shortage of FCS guards find homes at the next level, including Colby Sorsdal and McCormick recently. Wehr could be next in line. A two-time first-team FCS All-American, Wehr was first-team All-Big Sky at guard in 2024 after being awarded the honors as a tackle in 2023.
Wehr converted from defensive line to offensive line, and it led to him being a leader for the nation’s second-leading rushing offense as Montana State went to the FCS national title game, losing 35-32 to North Dakota State. Wehr was Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded interior offensive lineman in the FCS, per FCS Football Central, and the East-West Shrine Bowl will be a great opportunity for him to compete against FBS-level talent and prove he belongs in the NFL. He’s projected to be a Day 3 selection, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Wehr becomes an impact player at the next level.
