Guards and centers don’t get much of the limelight in the NFL Draft cycle, but they are key cogs of NFL offenses and oftentimes unheralded for their work. With more emphasis now than ever on handling the freak athletes at defensive tackle, the interior NFL linemen are increasingly important. Who are the top iOL to watch at the 2024 NFL Combine?
Top 2024 NFL Combine Interior Offensive Linemen
Offensive linemen take the field on the last day of testing on Sunday, March 3. They will do the same tests that every position group does (40-yard dash, vertical and broad jumps, three-cone, shuttle run, and bench press) and position-related drills on the field, like the wave drill, the deep pull, and the fold block drill.
Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
One of the fastest risers of the offseason after his work at the Senior Bowl, Jackson Powers-Johnson should steal the show at the NFL Combine. For a center over 330 pounds, he moves remarkably well and is a gifted athlete. He’s in contention for the top marks in this class in terms of his athleticism.
After playing just one year at center, teams are curious about how Powers-Johnson can handle the position full-time in the NFL. His interviews will be an interesting part of his evaluation, but I’d be surprised if he didn’t steal the show in testing and drills.
Graham Barton, Duke
Another intriguing lineman in this draft class, if you ask 10 scouts where Graham Barton plays in the NFL, you’ll get five saying center, three saying guard, and two saying tackle. His positional versatility is both a positive and negative for his stock simply because teams haven’t ironed out the best landing spot for him.
However, Barton has all the movement skills you could want and is a fierce competitor. He should shine in testing and working through the positional drills. His interviews and private meetings with teams should help them work through his evaluation and keep him firmly on the first-round trajectory.
Cooper Beebe, Kansas State
One of the best guard prospects in this class and likely the first one off the board, Cooper Beebe is a technically sound and tremendously physical guard. He is a road-grader who more often resembles a bulldozer than a human being on the football field.
Yet, he has questions to answer at the 2024 NFL Combine. Many scouts think he’s closer to average as an athlete, a fact that limits his NFL ceiling. A good showing in testing will quiet those and show his upside is better than many initially believed.
Isaiah Adams, Illinois
Maybe the best overall athlete in this guard class, Isaiah Adams is a gifted mover out in space and is a seamless fit in a zone-blocking offense. He weighed in at 316 pounds at the Senior Bowl, and I would have believed you if you told me he was 10 pounds lighter with his movement skills.
Don’t be surprised if he tests out of the building at the Combine.
Nick Samac, Michigan State
Nick Samac hasn’t gotten the same amount of buzz that other center prospects have gotten, but with such a large gap between the top guys and the rest of the class, Samac has a great chance to put the spotlight on himself at the NFL Combine.
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He’s a smooth criminal when working out in space as a puller or climber on film, and he plays with good quickness out of his stance. How he does in drills and testing could put his name in the mix to be one of the first centers taken in the middle of the draft.
IOL Invited to 2024 NFL Combine
- Isaiah Adams, Illinois
- Gottlieb Ayedze, Maryland
- Karsen Barnhart, Michigan
- Graham Barton, Duke
- Cooper Beebe, Kansas State
- Keaton Bills, Utah
- Tanor Bortolini, Wisconsin
- Javion Cohen, Miami (FL)
- Kingsley Eguakun, Florida
- Zach Frazier, West Virginia
- X’Zauvea Gadlin, Liberty
- Nick Gargiulo, South Carolina
- C.J. Hanson, Holy Cross
- Christian Haynes, UConn
- LaDarius Henderson, Michigan
- Matthew Jones, Ohio State
- Trente Jones, Michigan
- Trevor Keegan, Michigan
- Jarrett Kingston, USC
- Brady Latham, Arkansas
- Sataoa Laumea, Utah
- Matt Lee, Miami (FL)
- KT Leveston, Kansas State
- Beaux Limmer, Arkansas
- Christian Mahogany, Boston College
- Mason McCormick, South Dakota State
- Dylan McMahon, NC State
- Jacob Monk, Duke
- Hunter Nourzad, Penn State
- Drake Nugent, Michigan
- Prince Pines, Tulane
- Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
- Dominick Puni, Kansas
- Andrew Raym, Oklahoma
- Layden Robinson, Texas A&M
- Nick Samac, Michigan State
- Jalen Sundell, North Dakota State
- Charles Turner III, LSU
- Sedrick Van Pran-Granger, Georgia
- Zak Zinter, Michigan
All the 2024 NFL Draft resources you need — the draft order, the top QBs, the Top 100 prospects, and the full 2024 Big Board — right at your fingertips at Pro Football Network!