2026 NFL Draft Interior O-Lineman Rankings

by Zak Drapeau

Sportz Nation - 3/26/2026

1. Olaivavega Ioane

6'4" - 320 lbs

Penn State

Big Board Rank: 16

Pro Comparison: Robert Hunt

"Vega" Ioane is the best run blocker of the class while also having the technical ability and physical traits to be a future All-Pro. At 6'4" and 320+ pounds, Vega is a bit rigid and it will show sometime when having to battle more finesse rushers, but his pass blocking is still solid if not very good.

Vega is a VERY safe prospect with one of the highest floors of the class. His pass blocking is the only minimal weakness in his game and with the right coaching about balance and footwork, could easily improve on it and become elite.

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2. Emmanuel Pregnon

6'4" - 314 lbs

Oregon

Big Board Rank: 28

Pro Comparison:

Pregnon immediately stuns defenders when he puts his hands on them but may have some struggles to clamp on to legit, NFL interior rushers. Because of this he should become a very good pass blocking Guard in the league while his run blocking will be great as long as he is not zone blocking too much.

Pregnon has extreme explosiveness but is a decent athlete besides. His stature would normally indicate he needs to gain weight but his strength is so legit it would be a cherry on top. Pregnon will need to do a lot of laterals and footwork drills in the NFL but in time will be as good of a run blocker as a pass blocker and could become elite.

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3. Gennings Dunker

6'5" - 319 lbs

Iowa

Big Board Rank: 38

Pro Comparison: Sean Rhyan

Most of Dunker's weaknesses come from his possible projection at Tackle but I've taken the liberty of throwing him at Guard where I believe he'll do better in the league.

Dunker has real, NFL-level strength already which will come in handy when he moves inside to block DTs. Dunker's pass blocking should only get better on the interior but he will have to get used to zone blocking from the inside.

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4. Conner Lew

6'3" - 310 lbs

Auburn

Big Board Rank: 41

Pro Comparison: Drew Kendall

Lew is my best Center of the class by a wide margin for me because of his intelligence and potential to Captain an offensive line for the foreseeable future. His Torn ACL has caused concerns but most reports have him ready for the start of the 2026 season.

A natural pass blocker with quickness and a first step to cover ground. Lew also has a natural mean streak that I love in lineman and a wrestling background that always has him finishing through the whistle. He will need to seriously improve his run blocking at the second level and of course rehab his leg but should be primed for one of the best Centers in the league by his sophomore season.

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5. Chase Bisontis

6'5" - 315 lbs

Texas A&M

Big Board Rank: 54

Pro Comparison: Cooper Beebe

Bisontis is a great blend of speed and strength at the Guard position with great pass blocking. His run blocking is pretty good as well and should get even better when he adds some mass to his frame.

Bisontis will have to work on keeping his hands inside after too many holding calls in college, which some experts believe is to compensate for his weaker stature. Bisontis has the tools and agility to be a real difference maker in the NFL but it is all predicated on how fast he can gain 15 or so pounds.

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6. Jalen Farmer

6'5" - 312 lbs

Kentucky

Big Board Rank: 65

Pro Comparison: Will Fries

Strong and nasty is the best way to describe Jalen Farmer and I've said again and again, you can't teach nasty. He is not very athletic for this stage and his hands aren't elite either, both will need to be worked on in the NFL.

Farmer is a Right Guard in the NFL and a brutal run blocker. He will need time to work on his fundamentals in zone blocking and pass blocking and that will take a season or two, but the foundation of a ruthless run blocker is there and whatever team bets on his long term potential will be thankful for it.

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7. Parker Brailsford

6'2" - 290 lbs

Alabama

Big Board Rank: 68

Pro Comparison: Less refined Tanor Bortolini

Brailsford represents the small but athletic Centers that rarely succeed, but when they do they are All-Pro level. At 6'2" and 290 pounds, he will need to exercise his speed, explosiveness and ability to get under defenders on EVERY single play.

Braislford size and strength will inevitably become a factor to suitors and even after drafted. He will need to put on weight there's no way around it but others have tried and succeeded at even less weight. I'm much higher on him because of how he works his frame and quickly gets to his spot using raw agility and speed that is RARE for O-lineman.

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8. Logan Jones

6'3" - 299 lbs

Iowa

Big Board Rank: 73

Pro Comparison: Upside Cam Jurgens

Jones is also small for the position, if not 10 pounds heavier then Brailsford but also with shorter arms. Jones does have two key calling cards and that's his pass protection which is the best among Centers, and experience; starting over 50 games for the Iowa line.

Jones may not become a forceful run blocker from the middle of the line with his smaller frame and more importantly smaller arms. He is impactful and explosive though which should allow him to get the first blow more times than not and with time could become reliable in pushing the middle of the defense

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9. Jake Slaughter

6'5" - 303 lbs

Florida

Big Board Rank: 82

Pro Comparison: Connor McGovern

Slaughter may be my "diamond in the rough" of his class as a solid and toolsy, pass blocking Center. His pass blocking is already refined but his effort is outstanding, consistently climbing to the second level and playing through the whistle.

His run blocking has shown technique faults in allowing players to cross his body or stunt him with little opposition. Through time he will be coached in how to avoid or reply to these moves and when he does could become an all-around very good, (even if never Great) Center in the league.

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10. Sam Hecht

6'4" - 303 lbs

Kansas State

Big Board Rank: 87

Pro Comparison: Sedrick Van Pran

Hecht has made a huge jump since the end of the 2025 College Football Season including a brilliant Senior Bowl performance where he was the best O-lineman there. He is also incredibly intelligent and has shown improvement at Kansas State year after year.

Even though his frame is pretty good for the NFL, he lacks real drive in the run game and that will hurt his stock. His pass blocking is very good but I notice him often giving up after his initial push is halted and while that can be reevaluated and worked on, is the reason I'm not as high on Hecht as others.

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11. Keylan Rutledge

6'4" - 316 lbs

Georgia Tech

Big Board Rank: 101

Pro Comparison:

Strengths -

Weaknesses - Upside Christian Mahogany

Rutledge is a polar opposite from most on this list and not in a great way. He does have the best frame of any Guard in this class after Ioane and Pregnon and that comes with some game changing power and incredible versatility and toughness.

Here's the bad news, Rutledge will need to completely refine his technique. His footwork is pretty agile for his size but causes his balance to subside much too often. He also has strong hands but too often gets caught too high up or brushed aside by experienced rushers. Another high upside but low floor guy here.

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13. Billy Schrauth

6'5" - 310 lbs

Notre Dame

Big Board Rank: 126

Pro Comparison: Fragile Quinn Meinerz

Schrauth would be much higher on my list but his injury and frame concerns almost take him off my list. Besides his weight being much closer to 300 on game day than the 310 he measured at the Combine, Schrauth missed significant time in 2024 with an ankle injury and 2025 with an MCL sprain.

Schrauth has elite pass blocking (WHEN ON THE FIELD) already, and his run blocking is average at worst. His hand placement and elbow techniques are flawless as you'd expect from a Notre Dame lineman and his size and play strength are good enough to be in most O-line groups. He should take a year to sit, heal and gain some weight and if he can stay healthy should become a force in the league later down the road.