State of the AFC South: Ranking each offensive line and top 5 players across the division

Position Group:

1. Indianapolis Colts

Projected Starters: 

LT: Bernhard Raimann
LG: Quenton Nelson
C: Ryan Kelly
RG: Will Fries
RT: Braden Smith

Key Depth:

• Blake Freeland
• Matt Goncalves
• Tanor Bortolini
• Josh Sills
• Danny Pinter

The Colts have the most expensive offensive line of any team in the AFC South, and they play like it, with the unit being one of the best offensive line groups in the NFL. And this group has a little bit of everything you look for on the offensive line: a superstar, proven veterans, and young upside. They are led by LG Quenton Nelson, who continues to be one of the most dominant offensive linemen in the league. They also have proven veterans who have played at a high level in center Ryan Kelly and RT Braden Smith. And they have an up-and-coming young LT in Bernhard Raimann, who has already shown flashes of being an elite LT, along with Will Fries at RG, who has been very effective in his young career. The Colts are also built for the future along with the present. The team has multiple players drafted over the last couple of seasons, including using a top four-round pick on OT Blake Freeland, OT/G Matt Goncalves, and C/G Tanor Bortolini. 

2. Houston Texans

Projected Starters:

LT: Laremy Tunsil
LG: Kendrick Green
C: Juice Scruggs
RG: Shaq Mason
RT: Tytus Howard

Key Depth: 

• Kenyon Green 
• Blake Fisher
• Jarrett Patterson 

The Texans' offensive line group is led by one of the best LTs in the NFL, Laremy Tunsil. And they also have a solid veteran in Shaq Mason at RG. The rest of the group is pretty much a question mark, but they ended last season playing their best football as a group to date. The team will have to decide whether or not to extend RT Tytus Howard within this next year, who has had an up-and-down career so far in Houston. The team did use the 59th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on Notre Dame RT Blake Fisher. Which could allow them to have a replacement for Howard after next year. Or they could move one of Fisher or Howard to guard to start both long-term. 

3. Jacksonville Jaguars

Projected Starters:

LT: Cam Robinson
LG: Ezra Cleveland
C: Mitch Morse
RG: Brandon Scherff
RT: Anton Harrison

Key Depth: 

• Walker Little 
• Luke Fortner
• Javon Foster

The Jaguars have handed out two relatively large contracts to young offensive linemen over the last few seasons. They gave LT Cam Robinson a three-year, $54 million deal in 2022 and paid LG Ezra Cleveland a three-year, $24 million deal this offseason. I'd say it's fair to say the Jaguars have regretted paying Robinson, who has dealt with multiple injuries and also hasn't elevated his level of play much at all, even when healthy. They also have two veteran players who, while still being plenty productive, seemingly are on the other side of the hill at this point in their careers, C Mitch Morse and RG Brandon Scherff. Lastly, they have some high draft capital players they are still developing with starting RT Anton Harrison (2023 1st round pick), Walker Little (2021 2nd round pick), Luke Fortner (2022 3rd round pick), and Javon Foster (2024 4th round pick).

4. Tennessee Titans

Projected Starters:

LT: JC Latham
LG: Peter Skoronski
C: Lloyd Cushenbery III
RG: Daniel Brunskill
RT: Dillon Radunz

Key Depth:

• Nicholas Petit-Frere
• Saahdiq Charles
• Jaelyn Duncan

The Titans had one of the worst offensive line groups in all of the NFL last season. And they operated like a team desperately looking to fit that this offseason. They paid free agent center Lloyd Cushenberry III a four-year $50 million deal and used the seventh pick in the 1st round of the 2024 NFL Draft on Alabama offensive lineman JC Latham. Latham ended up as my highest-graded RT in the 2024 NFL Draft, but I had real questions about whether he can be effective as an LT in the NFL via his college film. The Titans have come out saying Latham will play LT, though. While I personally don't think that's a good decision, I trust new Titans OL coach and offensive line guru Bill Callahan's evaluation of offensive linemen. The Titans will also be hoping for a sophomore jump from LG Peter Skoronski, who had some strength concerns last season but overall looked the part of a 1st round pick. The right side of the line is still pretty brutal for the Titans, though, with Daniel Brunskill set to start at RT and one of Dillon Radunz, Jaelyn Duncan, or Nicholas Petit-Frere at RT. 

Top 5 Offensive Lineman In the AFC South: 

1. Larmey Tunsil, Houston Texans

2. Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis Colts

3. Braden Smith, Indianapolis Colts

4. Bernhard Raimann, Indianapolis Colts

5. Ryan Kelly, Indianapolis Colts