Size Matters: College Football’s Biggest Offensive Linemen of 2023

College football has made strides the past decade or so in many areas. It is a spread out, wide open product.

However, some things never change. Games are still often decided by the performance of the offensive line. We ask this following question every year: Does the size of the O-line translate into success?

The average starter on the offensive line for all FBS teams sized up at 6’4.3″ in height, weighing 302 pounds per man in 2014. Last season, the average starter nudged up to 6’4.4″ and 304.2. Overall, that’s not a noticeable difference.

Heading into the 2023 campaign, the average starter for all 133 teams in the FBS is 6’4.9″ and 308.9 pounds. There has been an upward trend but the change over just one year is statistically significant. But does that size mean much?

When we normally analyze the preseason top 25, two or three teams’ o-lines fall below the national average. The two-time defending champs from Athens are definitely built for bully ball (pun intended) on offense. This season, there are five teams among the nation’s preseason elite slightly below the new size norm.

1. Georgia — 6’5.6″, 324
2. Clemson — 6’4.6″, 317
3. Michigan — 6’4.8″, 309.8
4. Alabama — 6’5″, 327
5. Ohio State — 6’4.8″, 311
6. Penn State — 6’4. 8″, 319.6
7. USC — 6’4.4″, 302.4***
8. Florida State. 6’3.8″, 314
9. LSU — 6’5.2″, 321 LBS.
10. Notre Dame — 6’5.2. 307***
11. Texas — 6’4.6″, 315.4
12. Texas A&M — 5’5.4″, 325
13. Wisconsin — 6’5.4″, 311.2
14. Washington — 6’6″, 308.8
15. Oregon — 6’4″, 315.4
16. Utah. 6’5″, 312.2
17. Iowa — 6’5″, 300.6***
18. Oregon State — 6’4.4″, 307.4***
19. Tennessee — 6’4.6″, 322.4
20. Oklahoma — 6’5.2″, 310.8
21. North Carolina. 6’3″, 309
22. Toledo — 6’3.6. 293***
23. Pittsburgh — 6’4.4″, 317
24. UTSA — 6’3.8″, 313
25. TCU — 6’5.2″, 325.4

*** below projected national averages

As for the biggest lines by average, there’s a mix of ranked and unranked teams:

1. Arizona — 6’4.4″, 334
2. Florida — 6’4.8″, 330.2
3. Alabama — 6’5″, 327
4. Vanderbilt — 6’5.2″, 326
5. TCU — 6’5.2″, 325.4
6. Texas A&M — 6’5.4″, 325
7. Southern Miss — 6’3.4″, 325
8. Syracuse — 6’5.4″, 324.2
9. Georgia — 6’5.6″, 324
10. Tennessee — 6’4.6″, 322.4
11. South Alabama. — 6’3.6″, 321.2
12. LSU — 6’5.2″, 321
13. Penn State — 6’4.8″, 319.6
14. Ole Miss — 6’5.2″, 319
15. Minnesota. — 6’6.4″, 318
(tie) Mississippi State. 6’4.8″, 318

Note: No SEC team is at or below the national average.

Which FBS offensive lines are the smallest?

1. Air Force — 6’3.6. 287.4
2. San Jose State — 6’3. 288.6
3. Appalachian State — 6’4.2. 290
4. Middle Tennessee — 6’3.8. 291.8
5. Stanford — 6’4.6. 292

Some programs recruit and build smaller, quicker lines to suit their needs or because of recruiting restrictions such as the military academies which have smaller student-athletes.

As for comapring conferences, the overall size per team line title goes to the SEC but perhaps the stereotype of the Big Ten as the big, plodding league doesn’t fit quite so well since they trail three conferences in this comparison:

1. SEC — 6’4.9″, 319.4
2. Big 12 — 6’4.7″, 311.8
3. ACC — 6’4.5″, 311.7
4. Big Ten. 6’5″, 310
5. PAC 12 — 6’4.7. 308.8
6. Sun Belt — 6’3.6″, 308.6
7. AAC — 6’4″, 306.4
8. Mountain West — 6’4.3″, 304.5
9. Independent — 6’3.9″, 302.7
10. Mid American. 6’4.4″, 302.4
11. C-USA — 6’3.8″, 302.2

Here at CCS, we always compare the teams in the Pelican State. FBS squads in Louisiana do not lack in beef:
1. LSU — 6’5.2″, 321
2. ULM — 6’3.6″, 316.4
3. UL-Lafayette — 6’3.4″, 314.4
4. LA Tech — 6’3″, 312.8
5. Tulane — 6’4″, 310.4

The state of Louisiana’s biggest players:
UL-Lafayette sophomore right guard Mackey Mailho (6’8″, 365)
Tulane senior left guard Prince Pines (6’5″, 335)
Tulane freshman left guard Landry Cannon (6’4″, 335)
LSU sophomore right tackle Emery Jones (6’6″, 335)

Growth spurts…

Southern Miss jumped from 303 pounds per offensive line in 2020 to a 325 average in 2023.
Clemson was 303 per man in 2020 but now at 317 per starter average.
Arizona State averaged 291 in 2020 but now 303.2.
Louisville was at an 298 average in 2020, now 308.
Navy averaged 274.2 in 2020″, now tilting the scales at 286.2 per starter.

Teams on a diet…

Stanford’s o-line averaged 311 in 2020 but is now down to 292 per starter.
Minnesota was 340 in 2020, now 318.
Oklahoma at 331.6 in 2020 has slimmed to 310.8.
Indiana has melted off 14.6 lbs. per o-line starter since 2020.

Now it’s time for my 2023 All-Gurth team. The All-Humongous! You know, the players who eat cereal out of a satellite dish. When you look at their drivers’ license for date of birth it reads “April 3rd, 4th and 5th.” When they step on the scale, instead of giving a weight its says “everybody off!”

Okay, enough already, I know. Here are the biggest of the big, regardless of position:

1. Desmond Watson — Florida Jr. DT (6’5″, 435″; returning FBS heavyweight champion)
2. Maximus Gibbs — Jackson State Jr. OT (6’7″, 390; transfer from USC)
3. Zach Owens — Clemson Fr. LG (6’7″, 375)
4. Kalan Ellis — Syracuse Jr. LG (6’6″, 375)
5. Ian Geffrard — Arkansas Fr. DT (6’5″, 370)
6. Paxton Kirkland — Texas Fr. RG (6’6″, 367)
7. Logan Reichart — Missouri Fr. RG (6’6″, 366)
8. James Glover-Tyson — Louisville Fr. RT (6’7″, 365)
9. Mackey Mailho — UL-Lafayette Soph. RG (6’8″, 365)
10. Snoop Leola-Amaama — Virginia Fr. RT (6’4″, 364)
11. Micah Pettus — Ole Miss Soph. RT (6’7″, 360)
12. Cameron Williams — Texas Soph. RT (6’5″, 360)
13. Lysander Moeolo — Syracuse Fr. LT (6’6″, 360)

Now comes the flyweight division, aka the smallest players in the FBS who play in the trenches:

Oliver Billotte, Soph. DT, Kent State (6’5″, 254)
Kyle Lewis, Jr. NT, Army, (6’3″, 250)
Uso Seumalo, Jr. NT, Kansas State (6’3″, 245)
Jackson Knotts, Jr. long snapper, Texas Tech (5’11”, 185)

Cardio and workout regimens have resulted in downward weight changes for these veteran FBS big men:

Syracuse Jr. LG Kalan Ellis was 388 last season and now “down” to 370.
Alabama Soph. DT Jaheim Oatis was 370 a year ago, now 328.
Arkansas Soph. LT Devon Manuel was 366, now 340.
Arkansas Fr. RT E’Marion Harris was 362, now 340.
Oregon Jr. RT Faaop Lalolu was 380 one year ago but dropped 50 to check in at 330.

So what does it all mean? We’ll have to watch the games to find out if bigger really is better in 2023.