College Football's Top 50 Offensive Linemen of the BCS Era

Author:
Braden Gall
Jun 12, 2013

Greatness is defined in so many different ways. Statistical production, individual awards, team success, longevity, supporting cast, level of competition, raw talent and athletic ability all factor heavily in determining overall greatness. Sometimes, you simply know greatness when you see it.

So all factors were considered when trying to determine who the greatest offensive linemen of the BCS era have been. Here are the Top 50 tackles, guards and centers since the BCS was implemented in 1998:

Agree or disagree with our ranking of College Football's Top 50 blockers of the BCS Era? Let us know on Twitter at @AthlonSports, using the hashtag #AthlonOL50.

1. Bryant McKinnie, T, Miami
He only played two seasons for Miami after beginning at Lackawanna College (Pa.) but he was downright unstoppable during his time in a Hurricanes' uniform. He was an All-American in both seasons, won the Outland Trophy as the nation’s top lineman and led Miami to a 23-1 record and the 2001 BCS National Championship. He is the only offensive lineman during the BCS era to finish in the top 10 of Heisman Trophy balloting. The Pro Bowl left tackle was the seventh overall pick by the Vikings in the 2002 NFL Draft.

2. Barrett Jones, OL, Alabama
No offensive lineman during the BCS era was more decorated than the Memphis native. He started at right guard and earned freshman All-American honors for the 2009 BCS champs. He slid out to left tackle in 2011 and won the Outland Trophy as the nation’s top lineman for the 2011 BCS champs. Jones then manned the pivot and won the Rimington Trophy as the nation’s top center for the 2012 BCS champs. The two-time consensus All-American won three national titles at three different positions while graduating with a Master’s Degree and 4.0 GPA. Jones pretty much dominated college.

3. Joe Thomas, T, Wisconsin
One of the few big-time recruits from the state of Wisconsin, Thomas was a two-time All-American and Outland Trophy winner for a team that went 31-7 during his three seasons as the starting left tackle. He has rare footspeed, agility and overall athletic ability — and it’s why he has been to the Pro Bowl in all six of his NFL seasons. He was taken No. 3 overall in 2007 by the Cleveland Browns.

4. Greg Eslinger, C, Minnesota
Not many centers have an Outland Trophy on their mantle at home but Eslinger has one (2005). He was a freshman All-American in 2002, a third-team All-American as a sophomore, a first-teamer in '04 and earned consensus All-American honors as a senior. He won the Rimington Trophy as the nation’s top center and earned Big Ten Lineman of the Year honors in ’05 too. The best stat for Eslinger, however, is that Minnesota never had a losing record during his four-year career and had the school’s first 10-win campaign since 1905.

5. Chris Samuels, T, Alabama
The massive 'Bama blocker earned every award possible for an offensive tackle. Samuels claimed the SEC’s Jacobs Blocking Trophy and earned the Outland Trophy as the nation’s top lineman in 1999. He helped Alabama to its first SEC championship since 1992 and was a consensus All-American. He was picked third overall by the Redskins in the 2000 NFL Draft.

6. Jammal Brown, T, Oklahoma
Starting his career as a defensive tackle, Brown exploded onto the national scene as a blocker as a sophomore. He helped lead the Sooners to the BCS National Championship game twice and was recognized as the nation’s top offensive lineman in 2004 when he was awarded the Outland Trophy. The consensus All-American paved the way for Adrian Peterson’s NCAA record-setting freshman season. Brown was the 13th overall pick by the Saints in the 2005 NFL Draft.

7. Jake Long, T, Michigan
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft (Miami) was a two-time All-American and Outland Trophy finalist. He was a Freshman All-American in his first year playing in college and was the Big Ten Lineman of the Year award twice as a junior and senior. He’s been to four Pro Bowls in his five-year NFL career.

8. Dominic Raiola, C, Nebraska
At a school known for its big uglies, Raiola is the Huskers’ best of the BCS era. He was the first freshman O-lineman to start since 1991 when he took the field in 1998. The following two seasons he set school records for knockdowns. As a junior, Raiola was the Rimington Trophy winner as the nation’s top center, was an Outland Finalist and earned consensus All-American honors before leaving school early for the NFL.

9. Luke Joeckel, T, Texas A&M
The supremely talented Joeckel helped lead the Aggies from the Big 12 to the SEC seamlessly due in large part to his blocking. He won the Outland Trophy as the nation’s best lineman and earned the Jacobs Blocking Trophy as the SEC’s top blocker. The consensus All-American was the No. 2 overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2013 NFL Draft.

10. Andre Smith, T, Alabama
Smith was a dominant, five-star prospect from Birmingham before dominating the SEC for three seasons at Alabama. As a junior, Smith won the Outland Trophy as the nation’s top lineman and was a consensus All-American. He left school early or else would have been a part of the 2009 BCS championship team. Still, Smith gets credit for helping to rebuild Alabama and was selected with the sixth overall pick by the Bengals in the 2009 NFL Draft.

11. Shawn Andrews, T, Arkansas
A two-time consensus All-American, Andrews was an Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award finalist in 2003. He earned back-to-back Jacobs Blocking Awards as the SEC’s top lineman in 2002-03. Andrews was the No. 16 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Eagles and has been to three Pro Bowls.

12. Steve Hutchinson, G, Michigan
Starting for four seasons for the Wolverines, Hutchinson helped the Wolverines win the 1997 national championship. He capped his career with consensus All-American honors, was an Outland Trophy finalist and didn’t allow a sack in his final two seasons at Michigan. He was a first-round pick by the Seahawks in 2001 and earned seven Pro Bowl invites during his 12-year NFL career.

13. Alex Barron, T, Florida State
The 6-foot-8, 315-pounder was arguably Florida State’s top lineman of the BCS era. He was a two-time consensus All-American (2003-04) and an Outland Trophy finalist in 2004. He was the 19th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft by the Rams.

14. Jonathan Luigs, C, Arkansas
The Razorbacks’ pivot for Darren McFadden, Peyton Hillis and Felix Jones was a three-time first-team All-SEC performer. Luigs was a two-time Rimington finalist, winning the award given to the nation’s top center in 2007. He was a consensus All-American in 2007 and was a fourth-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He ended his collegiate career with 49 consecutive starts.

15. Brett Romberg, C, Miami
With Romberg at center, the Hurricanes went 35-2, won three Big East championships, played in two national championship games and won the 2001 BCS national title. He won the Rimington Trophy as the nation’s top center and was a consensus All-American in 2002.

16. Duke Robinson, G, Oklahoma
The guard from Atlanta was one of Bob Stoops' greatest players. He was two-time consensus All-American in 2007 and '08 and helped lead Oklahoma to the BCS Championship game against Florida. He was an Outland Trophy finalist in 2008.

17. Dan Mozes, C, West Virginia
The captain of one of the best WVU teams in history, Mozes earned first-team All-Big East honors three different times. The Mountaineers went 22-3 over his final two seasons and he was awarded with consensus All-American honors and the 2006 Rimington Trophy as the nation’s top center.

18. Sam Baker, T, USC
The stud left tackle charged with protecting Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush was a three-time, first-team All-American and three-time, first-team All-Pac-10 selection. He played in two BCS national title games and was a first-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in the 2008 NFL Draft.