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2019 Pac-12 offensive line rankings: Oregon has the Pac-12’s strongest offensive line

Ranking the Pac-12 offensive line units going into 2019.

NCAA Football: Oregon Spring Game Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
  1. Oregon (T Calvin Throckmorton Sr. G Shane Lemeiux Sr. C Jake Hanson Sr. T Penei Sewell So. G Dallas Warmack Sr.) All five Duck starters might back the all-conference teams as they return every starter, including four seniors and one of the better sophomore linemen in the nation. This group has literally more than a hundred starts under their belt and is the backbone of the Oregon team.
  2. Washington (T Trey Adams Sr. C Nick Harris Sr. T Jared Hilbers Sr. G Jaxson Kirkland So. G Luke Wattenberg Jr.) - The Huskies will return five starters even with losing tackle Kaleb McGary to the first round of the NFL Draft as long as Adams is finally healthy. If he is, the Huskies get an All-American/1st round pick left tackle coupled with the conference’s best center in Harris. Hilbers was good filling in for Adams last year and Kirkland looks like a future All-Pac-12 player.
  3. Washington State (T Abraham Lucas So. C Frederick Mauigoa Sr. T Liam Ryan Jr. G Robert Valencia Sr. G Josh Watson Jr.) - The Cougars continue to churn out standout offensive lines under Mike Leach. Lucas looks to follow in the line of Joe Dahl, Cole Madison, and Andre Dillard of star tackles who go to the NFL and Mauigoa is one of the best centers in the conference. The rest fill in with experience, talent and a comfort in Leach’s system.
  4. Stanford (T Walker Little Jr. T Devery Hamilton Sr. C Drew Dalman Jr. G Dylan Powell Sr. G Henry Hattis Sr.) - I think this is the year Little stays healthy and turns into the nation’s best left tackle. Hamilton isn’t far behind. The interior linemen need some development and took a hit when Nate Herbig unexpectedly left early for the NFL, but this is still a group most schools would love to have.
  5. Arizona State (C Cohl Cabral Sr. G Steven Miller Sr. T Zach Robertson Sr. G Alex Losoya Sr. T Roy Hemsley Sr.) - One of the reasons Eno Benjamin was so good in 2018 was the Sun Devils stepped it up on the offensive line. Cabral and Miller are veterans who should get All-Pac-12 consideration and the Sun Devils look like they’re developing the rest of the group.
  6. Colorado (T Will Sherman So. G Tim Lynott Sr. G Brett Tonz Sr. C Colby Pursell So. T Arlington Hambright Sr.) - The Buffs have put together a nice offensive line led by Sherman who might actually be the Pac-12’s best offensive linemen. Lynott is a talented veteran and Auburn grad transfer Hambright should help right away.
  7. USC (T Austin Jackson Jr. G Andrew Voorhees Jr. G Alijah Vera-Tucker So. C Brett Neilon So. T Drew Richmond Sr.) - No surprise, but this might be the most-talented group in these rankings. It’s really just about studs like Jackson and Neilon putting it together and the Trojans will have a strong offensive line boosted by Tennessee grad transfer Richmond.
  8. Utah (T Darrin Paulo Sr. G Orlando Umana Jr. C Nick Ford So. T Braden Daniels Fr. G Paul Toala Sr.) - The Utes have to do some rebuilding on the offensive line after losing three starters. They’ve done a good job of that recently though and there is plenty of talent, size and experience here.
  9. UCLA (C Boss Tagaloa Sr. G Chris Murray So. T Jake Burton Jr. G Mike Alves Jr. T Alec Anderson Fr.) - Losing Andre James early to the NFL hurt, but Chip Kelly has some nice pieces coming back, especially inside. Tagaloa and Murray is a very nice combo at center and guard and don’t be surprised if Kelly and staff develop the rest of these guys well, the way they did at Oregon.
  10. Oregon State (C Nate Eldridge Sr. G Gus Lavaka Sr. T Blake Brandel Sr. G Clay Cordasco Sr. T Brandon Kipper So.) - One of the reasons Jermar Jefferson had such a big freshman year was the Beavers being solid on the offensive line. They lose some starters, but get a huge boost from Arizona grad transfer Eldridge and All-Pac-12 adjacent talent Lavaka.
  11. Cal (C Michael Saffell Jr. G Valentino Daltoso Jr. T Jake Curhan Jr. T Will Craig So. G Gentle Williams Jr.) - The Bears are a bit behind most of the Pac-12 with offensive line talent. They’ll get up there though if they can develop these players a little more and a healthy Saffell in the middle should really help.
  12. Arizona (T Cody Creason Sr. T Donovan Laie So. C Josh McCauley Jr. G Jon Jacobs Jr. G Steven Bailey Sr.) - Arizona was already limited on the line and that was before they lost Eldridge and Michael Eletise to transfer. They’ll need to develop these players up and creep up out of the offensive line cellar.