(Photo by John Kelley)
[su_spacer size=”40″] Articles about offensive lines/linemen are fewer and far between, and the reason is no secret. The average fan wants to read about the star, the running back, the wide receiver, or the quarterback. Linemen are not sexy – all they do is make the offense work.
[su_spacer size=”40″] [su_quote style=”modern-light” cite=” Saturday Down South” url=”http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/georgia-football/film-study-ugas-name-ol-pilots-countrys-best-run-game/”] John Theus (6’6″, 303 lbs) LT: Theus is a very talented exterior lineman who mans the primary spot on UGA’s line. He’s shown the ability to anchor against power-rush moves despite barely being over 300 pounds. Blocking edge-rushers who can adequately run the arc is a sticking point with him, but he has shown the ability to get out in his kick-step phase to combat his lack of foot quickness. Theus best projects to RT or G in the NFL; he’s money with gap- and man-blocking principles.
[su_spacer size=”10″] Brandon Kublanow (6’3″, 282 lbs) LG: Kublanow, a junior, is as rock-steady as it gets. His technique is impeccable and he’s stronger than one might think from a lineman who is a bit undersized for the position, but he most represents the “Bulldog” mentality that it takes to be an extremely effective player in the trenches. When long-time center David Andrews moved on, I wondered if the staff would attempt to move Kublanow into his spot as he seems like he would best fit the position.
[su_spacer size=”10″] Isaiah Wynn (6’2″, 278 lbs) C: Wynn, a highly touted 4-star recruit from Florida in 2014, has huge shoes to fill as it appears he’s the clubhouse leader to replace Andrews. The departed starter went undrafted in this past NFL draft, mostly due to his lack of measureables at 6’2″, 295 pounds, but did sign on with the world champion New England Patriots. Considering Andrews was named team MVP and excelled at making line calls, Wynn better be prepared to be versed in all aspects of line play; Houston Texans center Ben Jones was the long-time starter before Andrews.
[su_spacer size=”10″] Greg Pyke (6’6?, 313 lbs) RG: Pyke is the most talented player on the line and is, perhaps, its best prospect for the NFL level. However, he doesn’t possess the type of prerequisite athleticism we’ve seen from premier guard prospects Jonathan Cooper (Arizona Cardinals) and Chance Warmack (Tennessee Titans), but he’s a ferocious blocker who excels in the Power game where he’s required to perform open- and play-side pulls and leads. He’s exciting to watch on tape as you know he understands blocking angles and has great mechanics. Expect Pyke to be on the radar for a ton of all-conference first-team selections as he’s just that great of a player in this scheme.
[su_spacer size=”10″] Kolton Houston (6’5? 285 lbs) RT: Houston is another solid all-around player who is a bit undersized. Thankfully, he was granted a sixth-year of eligibility after a weird snafu which saw him reportedly test positive for a banned substance prior to his enrollment and subsequently put him in limbo to start his career for a few seasons. I always thought Houston would make a great interior lineman as he plays great in close quarters; he does well in space and has long arms that he uses to get extension.
[/su_quote] [su_spacer size=”40″] Be sure to visit the SDS article linked above. There are some excellent illustrations of UGA line blocking.