The Super Bowl is just three games away. There are only three months until the 2022 NFL Draft. Free agency begins March 16, with star players likely on the move. But before any of that occurs, we have the Senior Bowl. Which interior offensive linemen are competing in the 2022 Senior Bowl, and which prospects stand out most?
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2022 Senior Bowl Interior Offensive Linemen
Here are the 13 interior offensive linemen competing in the 2022 Senior Bowl.
National Team
- Zion Johnson | Boston College
- Nick Zakelj | Fordham
- Andrew Stueber | Michigan
- Marquis Hayes | Oklahoma
- Cole Strange | UT-Chattanooga
- Luke Goedeke | Central Michigan
American Team
- Justin Shaffer | Georgia
- Ed Ingram | LSU
- Dylan Parham | Memphis
- Cade Mays | Tennessee
- Chris Paul | Tulsa
- Lecitus Smith | Virginia Tech
- Luke Fortner | Kentucky
Top Senior Bowl Interior Offensive Linemen
The Senior Bowl offers players one of the biggest opportunities to propel their stock prior to the NFL Draft. The 13 interior linemen at this year’s iteration all have their strengths and weaknesses. However, their official measurements, performance during one-on-one drills, and — to a lesser extent — play in the bowl game itself will provide immense insight into their pro potential.
The National Team has less name recognition but is still a strong unit
Nick Zakelj (6’5″ and 325 pounds) has the ideal size for the interior, though he started 37 games at tackle for Fordham. He didn’t have many true-pass sets at the FCS program, so how he holds up at practice will be crucial. Like Zakelji, Chattanooga’s Cole Strange is a college tackle that best projects inside. His footwork, bend, and overall technique is lacking, but the physical tools are there.
Hailing from Central Michigan, Luke Goedeke is one of my personal favorites on the team. Another likely tackle-to-guard convert, he is a mauler in the ground game and easily moves to the second level.
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While those three have the potential to rise up draft boards, Zion Johnson, Andrew Stueber, and Marquis Hayes are locks to get drafted relatively high. Johnson is a physical blocker that offers gap and zone versatility. Furthermore, he plays with excellent leverage and overpowers opponents. Johnson should be one of the first interior offensive linemen drafted. Not just among the Senior Bowl attendees, but in the entire class.
Meanwhile, Stueber starred at right tackle for Michigan. He displayed stellar football IQ paired with an impressive size-balance combination throughout his career. Lastly, Hayes’ athleticism limits his proverbial ceiling. But the Oklahoma guard’s upper-body torque and strength raise his floor.
Four SEC linemen bolster the American Team
For all the pro potential the National squad possesses, the American Team’s interior offensive linemen may be the more complete group. Justin Shaffer (Georgia), Ed Ingram (LSU), Cade Mays (Tennessee), and Luke Fortner (Kentucky) were sharpened in the SEC. But don’t sleep on VA Tech’s Lecitus Smith, Tulsa’s Chris Paul, and Memphis’ Dylan Parham — another one of “my guys.”
Shaffer stays square and has improved in each of the last two seasons. He keeps his head on a swivel and always looks for the next man to put in the dirt. Former LSU teammates Lloyd Cushenberry and Damien Lewis raved to Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy about Ingram before the start of the year. He is a finisher and plays with a nastiness to his game that NFL teams will love.
Mays is a massive lineman (6’6″ and 325 pounds) with a ton of experience at the college level — two years of significant playing time at Tennessee and two at Georgia. However, he struggles with balance, and power rushers can beat him quickly. While Darian Kinnard receives most of the attention on Kentucky’s OL (rightfully so), Fortner was an integral piece to their success. He shined at center in 2021 but spent the past four years at guard. Regardless, Fortner routinely made key blocks and moved well in space this season.
Smith is an athletic guard with some length concerns. Nevertheless, he has an aggressive playstyle that teams will covet. On the other hand, Paul is a bit more of a burly power-gap blocker. Still, he can thrive in that role due to his wide frame and play strength. Last but certainly not least, Parham is best suited for a zone system. He is one of the most athletic linemen in the class and can mirror just about anyone across from him.
