The offensive line is constantly a scarce position group in the NFL. During the 2024 NFL draft, every team will likely be looking to add to their group in some capacity. This year, it seems like you can get starting-level players even in the middle of day three, this immense depth and value is likely attributed to the COVID graduates.
Note: This list is curated as more of a favorites list; or a “my guys” list, not exactly the absolute best players from each position.
Top Offensive Line Prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft
Offensive Tackle
Taliese Fuaga
Do you need a mauling offensive tackle who also has the flexibility to play guard? 2024 NFL draft prospect Taliese Fuaga would have you covered. A tackle prospect from Oregon State, Fuaga stands at 6’6 324 with a mentality to run over whoever and whatever is in front of him.
The Oregon State tackle definitely is a first-round caliber prospect, who brings plenty of versatility, nastiness, and ability to create strong rushing lanes due to his ability to latch on and drive defenders back. Fuaga’s abilities in the running game are comparable to Kaleb McGary, who is one of the better run-blocking offensive tackles.
Though Fuaga is a first-round prospect, he is largely viewed as the third-best tackle option behind guys Joe Alt and Olu Fashanu. This is because Fuaga is not the best in pass protection. When asking him to kick slide for a seven-step drop, he does struggle to reach his landmarks, which could lead to more explosive edge rushers getting– well– the edge on him. Overall, Fuaga is a very interesting 2024 draft prospect who deserves to be selected early in the draft. His mauling mentality is easy to fall in love with, and it easily resonated with me.
Matt Goncalves
The next “my guy” prospect for me at offensive tackle has to be Matt Goncalves. The offensive tackle from Pittsburgh stands at 6’6, 330, with major flexibility to play both tackle spots, and with the skillset to move into guard as well.
Goncalves possesses major flexibility, which is something I covet in offensive tackle prospects, as it gives teams the ability to reconcile and move things around if offensive tackle does not bode well for the prospect. Moving on, Goncalves has all of the intangibles you want in an offensive lineman. Competitive fire, leadership, and football IQ. He combines this with very strong and smart hand placement, leading him to easily latch on to any defender. A pretty solid prospect overall for the 2024 NFL draft.
Where his draft stock plummets is due to the injury he suffered at the end of the season. Coming off a torn ACL is no easy feat, and is something that teams will look away from. Combining coming off an injury with already sub-par athleticism, his ceiling is not very high. That being said, a versatile, smart, offensive lineman is still a very intriguing prospect for any team. Getting better at the offensive line does not have to be just with athletic freaks with high ceilings. You need those strong core linemen who can raise the floor of the group. Goncalves is just that.
Interior Offensive Line
Beaux Limmer
Meet the massive center out of Arkansas, Beaux Limmer. The 6’4, 302-pound center/guard prospect has plenty of eyes on his game, as he has earned a 9.80 RAS score if ranked as a guard. This is where he played the majority of his college career snaps. I very much covet versatility, athleticism, and experience amongst the offensive line, as this has been and will continue to be a theme throughout the “my guys” offensive line series.
Beaux Limmer is a OG prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.80 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 30 out of 1445 OG from 1987 to 2024.
Splits projectedhttps://t.co/oXy9rsrSRV pic.twitter.com/HOatnFFYRY
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 4, 2024
Beyond the general traits that Limmer possesses, how does his play look whilst on the field? Short answer: Stout.
Long answer: Limmer is easily one of the better center or guard prospects in the class, as beyond his intangibles he shows great IQ from the center position, and the ability to really drive defenders out of the way for his runner. He couples this with the ability to easily get to the second level and create stronger lanes.
Where Limmer needs to improve is his pass-protecting skills. He at times can be unable to mirror bendier rushers, and this will get him in trouble. Though he does a very good job of picking up stunts and twists, he needs to improve his reaction time in his footwork. It is apparent to see him mentally recognize what is happening, but his body is usually a step behind. This will only get harder at the NFL level.
Karsen Barnhart
One of my deepest sleepers for the 2024 NFL draft, is Michigan utility lineman, Karsen Barnhart. Sitting at 275 on the consensus board, Barnhart is more than deserving to be selected higher. The Michigan lineman has played all offensive line spots besides center, and couples this versatility with a strong build at 6’4 306.
Barnhart has an RAS score of 9.13 if ranked as a guard. This already is a great sign for his draft stock, as a strong RAS, versatility, and experience are more than enough for a team to take a shot on the player in the later rounds. The Michigan man has great communication coupled with the ability to work off of his teammates. This makes him so valuable to any offensive line room. Being able to plug in and play as a depth guy, is very valuable in the NFL.
Karsen Barnhart is a OG prospect in the 2024 draft class. He scored an unofficial 9.13 #RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 127 out of 1445 OG from 1987 to 2024.
Splits projectedhttps://t.co/9KMCeD8kf0 pic.twitter.com/mwgcLf209M
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 4, 2024
Why is Barnhart projected to go so low if he possesses plenty of coveted traits for an offensive lineman? The truth is that he has a lot of work to do on the field. Though he possesses great athleticism, it does not connect with his on-field play. NFL draft expert Lance Zierlein describes these struggles as:
- Lacks agility and quickness to gain ground out to edge rushers.
- Lack of explosiveness fitting up as a run blocker.
- Lacks hand/foot quickness to take early lead as NFL run blocker.
The common theme amongst all of these critiques is things to do with explosiveness, quickness, and general athleticism. The good news is that he tested very well at the 2024 NFL Combine. This should give teams hope that these issues are more than fixable. As mentioned before, the traits he does possess are very much coveted by the NFL, and he will get a shot somewhere.
Hunter Nourzad
The last player on this list is Hunter Nourzad. The center out of Penn State measured in at 6’3 317 and is projected to go on day three as a developmental center prospect. He currently ranks 186 on the 2024 NFL draft consensus big board.
Nourzad has played every spot on the offensive line but has seemed to find his home at center. This versatility alone is something that should be intriguing for NFL teams during the 2024 NFL draft. Beyond his versatility, Nourzad brings excellent ability to have quick feet in the passing or running game. Whether it is picking up stunts, pulling around the tackle, or simply going up to the second level to blow up a linebacker, Nourzad has you covered.
Nourzad at times leans too much in his pass protection, which would get him thrown out the way by savvier defensive linemen. This is an issue that is very easy to fix at the NFL level, but a crucial one if is not fixed. You cannot afford to have your quarterback blown up because your center whiffed early in the down.
Overall, Nourzad brings teams an athletic, versatile, experienced center who can really bring value as both a pass and run blocker. A few simple technique-related fixes could lead to Nourzad being a starting center in the near future.
Main Image: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports
