Size Matters: College Football’s Biggest Offensive Linemen of 2017

Every football season about this time, I chart the growth spurt in college football’s offensive lines so we can recognize the biggest starting quintet and biggest players period in major college football. We’ll also take a closer look to see if there is any correlation between size and success in college football.

The average starting offensive lineman in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) is 6′ 4.3″ and 305.5 pounds.

Ranking the conferences according to o-line size.
1) SEC – 6’5.4″ – 312.2 lbs.
2) Big 12 – 6’4.7″ – 310.2 lbs.
3) PAC 12 – 6’4.8″ – 308.7 lbs.
4) Big Ten – 6’4.7″ – 307.4 lbs.
5) ACC – 6’4.8″ – 306.3 lbs.
6) Independent – 6’4.3″ – 304.2 lbs.
7) MAC – 6’4.2″ – 303.9 lbs.
8) AAC – 6’4.4″ – 302.5 lbs
9) CUSA – 6’3.8″ – 301.8 lbs.
10) Sun Belt – 6’3.9″ – 301.1
11) Mountain West – 6’3.8″ – 300.7 lbs.

Biggest lines at schools on average
1) Missouri – 328 lbs. per starter
2) UMass – 325 lbs.
3) Oklahoma – 324.2 lbs.
4) Arkansas – 322.2 lbs.
5) Wisconsin – 321.6 lbs.
6) East Carolina – 320.6 lbs.
7) UTEP – 320 lbs.
8) Washington State – 319 lbs.
9) Oregon State – 318.8 lbs.
10) tie — Penn State & Louisville – 318.6 lbs.

Smallest quintets
1) Army – 280 lbs. per starter
2) Air Force – 280.6 lbs.
3) Old Dominion – 282 lbs.
4) Georgia Tech – 283.4 lbs.
5) Navy – 286.8 lbs.
6) New Mexico – 288.8 lbs.
7) Georgia State – 289.6
8) Texas State – 292 lbs.
9) Houston – 292.4
10) Kent State – 292.8 lbs.

How does the Pelican state stack up? Remember, the nation’s average is 6’4.3″ – 305.5 lbs.
1) Louisiana Tech – 6’4.8″ – 309.6 lbs.
2) Tulane – 6’4.6″ – 308 lbs.
3) ULL – 6’4.6″ – 307.4 lbs.
4) LSU – 6’4″ – 306.8 lbs.
5) ULM – 6’3.8″ – 304.4 lbs.

Here is how the nation’s elite, the preseason top 20 teams, rank in regard to the size chart.

1) Alabama – 6’4.8″ – 314 lbs.
2) Florida State – 6’5.8″ – 313.4 lbs.
3) Ohio State – 6’5.2″ – 308.4 lbs.
4) Oklahoma – 6’4.4″ – 324.2 lbs.
5) USC – 6’3.6 ” – 296 lbs (below average)
6) Clemson – 6’4.4″ – 318 lbs.
7) Penn State – 6’5.2″ – 318.6 lbs.
8) Washington – 6’4.8″ – 306
9) Auburn – 6’4.8″ – 317.8 lbs.
10) Florida – 6’4.2 ” – 314.6 lbs.
11) Wisconsin – 6’6.2″ – 321.6 lbs.
12) Miami – 6’5 – 310.6 lbs.
13) LSU – 6’4 – 306.8 lbs.
14) Stanford – 6’3.8 ” – 311.4 lbs.
15) Louisville – 6’5.8 ” – 318.6 lbs.
16) Notre Dame – 6’5.6 ” – 315.8 lbs.
17) Oklahoma State – 6’5 – 318 lbs.
18) Michigan – 6’4.4 ” – 316.2 lbs.
19) Kansas State – 6’4.2″ – 298.6 lbs. (below average)
20) TCU – 6’5.4″ – 318 lbs.

Now that we’ve slotted the teams , let’s SIZE UP the biggest players in college football. My All-Humongous team, the guys who can eat cereal out of a satellite dish big, will tell you size does matter. You know when one of these steps on a scale, you don’t get a number weight but a message that reads “come back when you’re alone?” These guys are that big.

Raquan Thomas, a UMass sophomore left tackle, checks in at 6’5″ 392 lbs.

Indiana LT Caleb Jones and Washington State senior LG Cody O’Donnell are both a whopping 6’8″ 370.

UTEP junior Christopher Misaalefua tips the scales at 6’5″ 375 lbs.

UAB OL Rishard Murry is 6’3″ 365.

ULM freshman LT Joquarius Savage would not be someone you’d want to haze as a newcomer at 6’7″ 365.

Georgia Tech senior RG Shamire DeVine 6’7″ 370.

Oklahoma can load up the left side of their line with tackle Orlando Brown (6’8″ 360) and guard Cody Ford (6’4″ 363), the latter a sophomore from Pineville, La.

Michael Onwenu (6’3″ 360) is a Michigan mauler as a sophomore right guard.

Ohio Bobcats senior right tackle Jared McCray is 6’5″ 358.

Jordan Murray, a junior left tackle at North Texas, mans the blindside and blocks out the sun at 6’9″ 351.

Miami freshman sensation Navaughn Donaldson is a 6’6″ 350 pound guard.

Oklahoma State senior LT Aaron Cochran (6’8 – 350) is someone you’d like to run behind.

Penn State junior right tackle Chasz Wright is listed at 6’7″ 354.

In the SEC, here are the biggest of the big guys:
Kentucky senior NT Matt Elam (6’7″ 360)
Florida freshman OG Tedarrell Slaton (6’5″ 360)
Georgia freshman OG Justin Schaffer (6’5″ 356)
Georgia freshman LT Isaiah Wilson (6’7″ 350)
Alabama freshman Deonte Brown (6’4″ 350) who also happens to squat an impressive 675 pounds.
Miss. State freshman RT Josh Cooper (6’7″ 355)
Vanderbilt sophomore RG Tre’ Vour Simms (6’5″ 355)

How about some bonus bigs?

If you’re seeking a SIZE advantage as a receiver, how about 6’10” 275 pound tight end Nate Wozniak? How would you like to be a sub-6 foot defensive back with that assignment?

But wait, there’s more in the smaller college and prep ranks. Here are some high school prospects who already tilt the field when the step onto it.

John Krahn is a 19 year old freshman at Lincoln University in Riverside, California. He was 440 lbs. before his “diet” helped the 7-footer slim down to 390.

Evan Neal (6’8″ 378), a 2019 prospect and currently a junior at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, has offers from his current top four schools Alabama, Miami, Florida State and Georgia along with ones from LSU, Auburn, South Florida, Southern Miss, Michigan, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee and USC.

Daniel Faatele (6’9″ 400) is another 2018 prospect out of IMG Academy. The native of Australia slips on a size 18 shoe. Offers from Michigan, Florida State, Fresno State, Va. Tech, Florida State, LSU, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, Miami, Missouri, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas and Oregon State are on the table (not the dinner table, mind you) for Faatele.

Brave Williams from Angola, New York will be college freshman in 2017. He already squats 1,000 pounds for three reps (and you imagine?) and wears a size 21 shoe. He dresses out at 7’1″ 400 pounds.

As a kindergarten student, Williams was already 5’3″ and towered over the classroom. He could play football or basketball in college but he is looking for a home on the hardwood. Good luck to anyone boxing him out for the rebound.

Last, but certainly not least, is Kiyaunta Goodwin out of Olmstead Academy North in Louisville, Kentucky. He is a 6’6″ 345 pounder who has an offer from Kentucky and has drawn attention from Louisville, Florida State, Purdue and Oregon. The only draw back is that he’s only 13 years old and entering eighth grade.

A diligent worker, Goodwin is concentrating on improving his footwork and overall skills as a left tackle. The future appears bright for a prospect that doctors project could sprout over 7 feet tall and 400 pounds before he stops growing. That’s great height in basketball country but his mass has gridiron written all over it.