We’re through the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff and bowl season is wrapping up. Most of these prospects have finished putting out tape in their college careers, so it’s time for me to officially unveil my updated position rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft.

Today I’m ranking my top 10 interior offensive linemen, and as always, this article includes both guards and centers. Right now, there is one college tackle I’m projecting to guard, but that list may grow as we get official measurements through the Combine and see where these players are getting reps during the Senior Bowl and other all-star weeks.

This is a pretty solid class of interior linemen, all things considered. I have first-round grades on a pair of guards at the top, there are lots of solid Day 2 prospects in this group, and the center class has three immediate NFL starters in the mix. These aren’t ever the sexiest positions to pick, but teams looking for upgrades along the interior have options.

If you’d like to check out my other updated position rankings, you can do so below:

• Running Backs
• Wide Receivers
• Offensive Tackles
• Edge Rushers
• Linebackers
• Cornerbacks

1: Olaivavega Ioane, G, Penn State

A three-star recruit from Washington, Ioane didn’t start playing football at all until his sophomore year of high school — apparently without his parents’ knowledge, who preferred for him to focus on academics. Once he arrived at State College, he redshirted in 2022 before playing some spot snaps in 2023. As a redshirt sophomore, he earned second-team All-Big Ten recognition after splitting time as a starter between left and right guard, even getting a few snaps at center. In 2025, Ioane was named to the first-team All-Big Ten after another great season, this time just at left guard.

A grown man at 6-4, 330 pounds, Ioane has an NFL body right now. He’s a load for defensive linemen to try to deal with in the trenches, consistently winning with power and imposing his will on the opposing front. He has massive, powerful hands that jolt defenders on contact and give him an immediate advantage off the snap. Once he locks onto a defender, he controls their movement, driving them back when run blocking and preventing them from controlling the point of attack.

Ioane moves pretty well at his size, with plenty of great reps in zone blocking on his tape. He can get out in space and hit his marks, whether he’s moving with the line on a zone run or pulling to the second level on a counter play. In pass protection, he stymies speed rushers with his quick punch and has the foot speed to stay in front of the shifty 3-techs he’s faced, with great hand usage to combat them and hold the pocket. Ioane showcases great awareness, handling stunts and twists well and plays aggressively without drawing flags.

If there’s one thing I’d like to see Ioane clean up, it would be his leverage. The fact that he’s as effective as he is in drive blocking scenarios is honestly scary, given he consistently plays too high in his stance. If he could get lower, he’d be better able to utilize his impressive lower half to generate even more power. Additionally, Ioane needs to continue to grow in his hand-fighting technical skills, something he showed improvement in this season.

A clear first-round-caliber player, Ioane is one of my favorite prospects in this class. Despite being so new to the sport, he’s an elite pass protector and versatile run blocker, capable of fitting seamlessly into any scheme. For any team needing a new starter inside, Ioane is the best available. In a class without many blue-chip prospects at the top, don’t be surprised if he sneaks into the top 15.

2: Gennings Dunker, G, Iowa

A three-star recruit from Illinois, Dunker played right guard as a freshman in 2022 before settling in at right tackle ever since. He was named second-team All-Big Ten in 2024 in his second year as a full-time starter, anchoring the always-excellent Hawkeyes offensive line. He had his best season yet in 2025 as a senior, earning first-team All-Big Ten for the first time in his career.

Measuring at 6-5, 315 pounds, Dunker is firmly a guard in the NFL, despite primarily playing tackle in college. A true people mover, there’s nothing he loves more than a violent finish to a block. In short yardage and goal line situations, he generates explosive vertical displacement, carving holes in the defensive front to pave lanes for the offense to use. In the run game, he moves well in space, climbing to the second level and erasing linebackers and safeties from the play.

While Dunker can sometimes struggle with speed on the edge, the opposite is true on the interior. He has great quickness and mirroring ability for a guard, with the precision and hand usage to ward off even the most creative pass rushers. With plus anchor strength to hold his ground against bull rushes and the awareness to pick up stunts without issue, Dunker projects inside quite well.

Leverage is a consistent issue for Dunker in pass protection. He maintains it properly when run blocking, but he lets his pad level get too high when in his pass sets — allowing pass rushers to get into his chest a little too easily. His hand usage can be pretty hit or miss, as well, something that will be a focus early in his NFL career.

I have a late first-round grade on Dunker, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him come off the board towards the end of Day 1. His tape at tackle projects very well inside, and he has an infectious personality and playstyle. Dunker is the kind of player every offensive line coach loves, and he’d be a great addition on the interior. Plus, he has proven flexibility to kick out to tackle in a pinch.

3: Emmanuel Pregnon, G, Oregon

Originally a two-star recruit out of Denver, Pregnon committed to Wyoming and took a redshirt year initially, not playing at all as a redshirt freshman. He moved into the starting lineup in 2022 and got some freshman All-American recognition before transferring to USC after the season. He was a two-year starter at left guard for the Trojans, being named second-team All-Big Ten in 2024. Pregnon transferred to the Ducks for his sixth-year senior season, earning consensus first-team All-Big Ten and first-team All-America honors.

Standing at 6-5, 318 pounds, Pregnon is as refined as they come after six years of college football. His hand placement and timing in the run game are immaculate, knocking defenders off-balance and maintaining tight control of the rep. Once he locks onto someone, he’s tough to shake, with massive hands and a crushing grip that controls the point of attack. He has a strong lower half with impressive leg drive, moving people off the line of scrimmage and clearing a ton of space in the run game. In pass protection, he has an unmovable anchor, walling off against even the strongest bull rushes.

With long arms and quick feet, Pregnon is a fantastic pass blocker. He can establish initial contact and has a counter for every interior move, keeping low and flexible without compromising his solid base. In space, he gets to his marks with speed and consistency, reliably beating defenders to the spot. He’s such a natural on the move, fluid and coordinated, which is a rarity at his size. Don’t be surprised to hear the “dancing bear” moniker with Pregnon.

Despite his agility, Pregnon can struggle to redirect against speedy interior rushers. In fact, he’s ill-equipped to deal with twitchy, souped-up athletes in most areas of the game, and it can come back to bite him. He rarely loses the leverage battle, but he can get a little over his skis on the run, making it easier for defenders to beat his blocks when they arrive. And he’s strictly limited to guard — you won’t see him moonlighting at center or kicking out to tackle.

I like Pregnon as a second-round, top 50 pick. He can be an immediate plug-and-play starter in the NFL and that has value early on Day 2. He’s athletic enough to fit multiple schemes and is a supreme pass protector, which is paramount in today’s game. His limitations won’t often show up and can be mitigated. Interior offensive line depth is important and sometimes neglected, but Pregnon will find a suitor early in the draft.

4: Jake Slaughter, C, Florida

A three-star high school recruit who stayed in his home state, Slaughter was primarily a special teamer as a true freshman and got eight starts at center in 2023. Stepping into a full-time starting role as a junior, Slaughter broke out in a major way, earning first-team All-SEC recognition and being named a second-team All-American. As a senior, he lived up to his reputation as one of the best centers in college football and was named a consensus first-team All-SEC player.

At 6-5, 303 pounds, Slaughter has a bit of an unusual build for a center. He’s an all-world pass protector, playing under supreme control at all times. His hand usage is masterful and he knows how to manipulate spacing on the interior, pinning pass rushers inside and congesting the areas they can work from. With smooth feet and active hands, it’s difficult for defenders to get into Slaughter’s chest, and they often can’t execute their moves because they can’t get a clean grip on him. Few players are as aware as he is at all times, and he’s rarely fooled by complex pressure packages and late blitzes.

In space, Slaughter moves well, hitting his marks and connecting on blocks. He’s best in zone schemes where he can use that to his advantage, keeping his feet moving and erasing defenders from the play. He gets low in his stance and plays with outstanding leverage, using his powerful hands to move defenders off the ball and get under their pads. His teammates and coaches at Florida rave about his leadership qualities, something that will no doubt endear him to NFL teams.

Slaughter is a little thin in his lower half and he isn’t the strongest center. His anchor isn’t weak by any means, but he is susceptible to getting bull rushed from time to time. More noticeably, he struggles more in gap and power running schemes, as he can’t create vertical displacement off the line as easily as some of his peers. The fastest interior pass rushers he faced were able to outwork him a bit, and his foot speed is of some concern.

Though he’s somewhat scheme-specific, I like Slaughter as a Day 2 pick. He projects as a future NFL starter at center, though he might struggle a little right away if he doesn’t add more strength. Teams that run a lot of inside power runs might want to look elsewhere, but otherwise Slaughter is one of the safer picks in the draft.

5: Connor Lew, C, Auburn

A four-star recruit from Kennesaw, Georgia, Lew was thrust into the starting lineup as a true freshman midway through the season when the Tigers’ starter went down with an injury. Lew performed very well and earned freshman All-America honors and has since started every game as a sophomore and junior. Lew now enters the draft as a true junior with a lot of upside, despite only playing seven games in his final season due to a torn ACL back in October.

Checking in at 6-3, 300 pounds, Lew is a fantastic athlete for a center. Get him in space and watch him go to work, as he has quick feet and can reach his marks without getting off-balance, connecting on difficult blocks. A master of leverage, he knows how to make life difficult for taller defenders, consistently getting under their pads and controlling the point of attack. Even against smaller defenders, Lew sinks low in his stance and doesn’t rise too much after the snap, maximizing his length without giving defenders an easy time getting hands on him. Over his years starting for the Tigers, he’s developed a keen eye for what defenses are trying to do, and is excellent at reading and reacting to stunts and blitzes.

In pass protection, Lew walls off with solid anchor strength and exceptional hand-fighting skills. Interior defenders have a tough time getting hands on him, as he’s always moving and utilizing quick adjustments to alter his positioning, keeping pass rushers guessing. He plays with a nasty demeanor on the field, always looking to get the last hit in and finish blocks in the dirt, but he plays under control just enough to avoid drawing dumb penalties. As a pass blocker, you really can’t ask for a more advanced technician than Lew, which gives him a high floor in the league.

Lew is a little undersized and has some strength issues. He’s not as good a run blocker as he is a pass protector, largely because he doesn’t have the functional mass to consistently move people at the point of attack. Even when anchoring in pass protection, his smaller frame can be an issue against the most dedicated bull rushers he faces. Also, his ACL injury is a complication to his draft stock. He should be good to go for next season and potentially for training camp as well, but he won’t be able to work out before the draft and teams will need to be thorough in their medical checks.

Another Day 2 center in this class, I like what Lew offers as a projected NFL starter. He’s athletic and refined, a great combination. While he needs to add some mass and strength, he can do that with his new team — the only complicating factor is his injury. Lew may fall a bit in the draft as a result, but I don’t think he’ll fall too far. He should still be a third-round pick at worst and getting surefire starters in that range is a win for drafting teams.

6: Pat Coogan, C, Indiana

A high school offensive tackle and three-star recruit from a Chicago suburb, Coogan began his college career at Notre Dame. He took a redshirt year before moving into the starting lineup as a redshirt sophomore in 2023, playing left guard initially before swapping over to center in 2024. Before his fifth-year senior season, Coogan transferred to the Hoosiers, immediately taking over at center once again. On the No. 1 team in college football, he earned second-team All-Big Ten honors.

Measuring at 6-5, 310 pounds, Coogan has a workmanlike mentality in both phases of the offense. He’s a fantastic pass protector, disrupting interior pass rushers with superb timing on his punches. When faced with crafty 3-techs, he matches them in hand fighting, using his strong hands and rapid movements to keep the defender off balance and unable to execute their moves. Coogan plays with natural leverage and stays low in his stance, driving defenders off the ball and preventing them from getting into his chest. His play strength is eye-popping, with some seriously impressive drive blocks on his film and a bulletproof anchor against bull rushes.

In space, Coogan showcases surprising fluidity and lateral agility. In zone schemes, he can dominate, hitting his marks and overwhelming defenders on the move. He performs well in gap schemes, too, and is a versatile run blocker who simply outworks defenders no matter the play design. This extends to his ability to connect on reach blocks and second-level defenders, erasing them from the play. Coogan creates significant vertical displacement whenever he’s asked to, and his nasty play-finishing mentality will endear him to offensive line coaches everywhere.

As much as he does succeed in space, Coogan has a bad habit of arriving at his blocks unbalanced. He can get a little over his skis trying to work too quickly and smart defenders take advantage of that. Additionally, the fastest interior rushers he faced could sometimes get him, as his redirect ability in pass protection isn’t the best. Coogan typically makes up for this by playing smarter than his opponent, but on occasion, he got got.

Coogan might be my favorite prospect on a loaded Indiana team. I love the way he plays; he’s a fit in every scheme and has a future as an NFL starter. I’d give him a third-round grade, as he’s not quite athletic enough to go higher but can step onto an NFL field and hold his own right away. I think this class has three centers who can be day one league starters, and that’s pretty impressive.

7: Ar’maj Reed-Adams, G, Texas A&M

A three-star recruit from Dallas, Reed-Adams began his career at Kansas, playing minimally in 2020 before slowly working his way up the depth chart. In 2023, he started every game at left guard for the Jayhawks, filling in at right tackle for a few games as well. After the season he transferred to the Aggies, where he’s been the full-time starter at right guard ever since. Though he had some draft buzz last year, he ultimately chose to return for his final collegiate season. As a fifth-year senior in 2025, he earned second-team All-SEC recognition.

Standing at 6-5, 325 pounds, Reed-Adams is a nasty run blocker. He knows how to throw his weight around, making defenders feel him when he connects on blocks. With strong hands and crisp technique, he stuns defenders on contact with a powerful punch, giving him an immediate advantage off the snap. Few players in this class are as effective as Reed-Adams when drive blocking, as he can really move people off the line and clear space quickly and efficiently. When executing combo blocks, he times his moves well, rarely oversetting on one block before climbing or abandoning his initial assignment too quickly.

Despite what you might expect from his profile, Reed-Adams is excellent on the move and in space. He’s a great fit in zone schemes where he can erase defenders from the play, moving with the flow of the offense and presenting a wall to potential tacklers. He has surprising quickness to his movements that allows him to consistently hit his marks and redirect in pass protection. Reed-Adams has the experience of a college veteran when recognizing stunts and blitzes, smoothly picking them up without missing a beat. He’s a good hand-fighter in the trenches, making pass rushers work for every inch they gain.

Against super speedy interior pass rushers, Reed-Adams doesn’t have the foot speed to match them out of their breaks. He’s sometimes a step slow getting to those blocks, which is a major issue on the interior. He can get a little grabby in spots, especially when he begins to feel a defender get outside his frame and tries to respond by locking on, which will draw flags in the NFL. Generally speaking, he’s a better run blocker than a pass protector, and he’s still learning how to put his immense strength to best use in his pass sets.

I like Reed-Adams a lot as a fourth-round pick. I think he has starter potential in the NFL — at the very least, he can be a team’s third guard right away as a rookie. Teams that prioritize power and fundamental blocking will like what they see from him. While he isn’t the twitchiest athlete, he can handle himself on the interior, and he’s a high-floor, veteran player who can step in and fill a role right away.

8: Logan Jones, C, Iowa

A four-star recruit who dominated Iowa high school football and basketball, Jones was a defensive end in high school and played that side of the ball originally for the Hawkeyes, redshirting in 2020 before suffering through an injury-plagued 2021 campaign. In 2022, the staff moved him to center, and he started there for four straight years — an impressive feat considering his background. Jones was named third-team All-Big Ten in 2023 and back-to-back first-team All-Big Ten in 2024 and 2025, including consensus marks in his final collegiate season.

At 6-3, 302 pounds, Jones is a little small for an NFL center. He makes up for that with off-the-charts athleticism for the position, doing things on the field that centers aren’t supposed to be able to do. He moves like a tight end out there, pulling in space with such natural fluidity and speed to hit his marks and block out the defense. Whether you’re calling a screen pass or a counter play, you want Jones leading the charge, burying defenders with an infectious level of toughness and competitiveness.

As a pass blocker, Jones is a technician, working pass rushers with quick hands and impressive recovery speed. Interior pass rushers simply aren’t fast enough to gain an advantage on him, as he does a masterful job of staying in front of his man and staying on-balance. He rarely compromises his base and has absurd anchor strength, belying his size with a tremendous amount of core strength and leg drive. When he needs to, he can put his head down and move people off the line of scrimmage, paving the way for the run game on his own.

For as skilled as Jones is, he hasn’t been playing on the offensive line very long. That shows up in his leverage at times, as he rises too quickly out of his stance and lets defenders get into his chest, negating some of his natural strength and length advantages. As much as he shows flashes of impressive drive blocking skills, he could stand to add some weight to hold up in the NFL, and I’m not sure how well he’ll hold up at the next level with his current frame. At the end of the day, he’s small, and it remains to be seen if he’s too small for the NFL.

Even though Jones still has some technical refinement to undergo, I love him as a mid-round pick. He’s such a supreme athlete with a varied athletic background and a strong propensity for growth. A potential future starter at center, he has experience at guard as well, adding to his value. He’s small and that will take him off some boards altogether, no doubt. But Jones has a high ceiling and his floor might be higher than he’s usually credited with, given his years of starting experience.

9: Chase Bisontis, G, Texas A&M

A four-star recruit from New Jersey, Bisontis started at right tackle for the Aggies as a true freshman in 2023, earning freshman All-America honors for his efforts. He moved to left guard as a sophomore, though he battled some injuries late in the season. Bisontis had his best season yet as a junior in 2025, earning third-team All-SEC honors and starting every game, once again at left guard.

Checking in at 6-5, 315 pounds, Bisontis is a powerful run blocker. He’s a major plus in drive blocking situations, coming up clutch in plenty of short-yardage and goal-line scenarios. When he gets his hands on a defender, he locks on and just moves them, exerting his control over the line of scrimmage with the kinds of people-mover blocks that get the whole team fired up. His anchor strength is phenomenal and he plays with a firm base that doesn’t get moved back, even by dedicated bull rushes from nose tackles. He gets low in his stance and plays with outstanding leverage, almost benching defensive tackles back off the line.

Bistontis isn’t just a mauler, though, as he’s pretty fluid in space and performs well in zone schemes. Get him out in space and he’ll hit his marks, connect on blocks, and make life miserable for any linebackers looking to make a tackle. He shows flashes of high-end athleticism with the way he operates on the move, executing difficult blocks that not every guard can make. When initially beaten by a pass rusher, he can redirect well enough to stay in the play, rarely giving up bad blow-bys.

That said, Bistonis isn’t much of a lateral athlete. He doesn’t possess the agility to mirror faster interior pass rushers, drawing holding penalties when he gets his hands too wide. More generally in pass protection, his hand usage is still a work in progress, as he struggles to keep defenders out of his chest, which neutralizes the length and leverage advantages he creates. Bisontis can get in trouble when he gets off-balance, reaching instead of staying firm over his base.

As a mid-round pick, there’s a lot to like with Bisontis. He can compete for a starting job as a rookie but might be better suited to a reserve role initially before taking over in the future. His limitations in hip flexibility and lateral quickness do cap his ceiling, and he may be the kind of guard who’s always better in the run game than as a pass protector. But Bisontis absolutely has starter potential and could be a value pick in the fourth round.

10: DJ Campbell, G, Texas

A five-star recruit from Arlington, Campbell committed to the Longhorns and played a reserve role as a true freshman in 2022 before finishing his Texas career as a three-year starter at right guard. As a sophomore, he had his ups and downs, but by his junior season, he was as steady as they come. As a senior in 2025, Campbell was named first-team All-SEC as one of the best guards in college football.

Measuring at 6-3, 321 pounds, Campbell brings the beef in the run game. He overwhelms defenders at the point of attack, engulfing them with mammoth arms and the strength of a wild man, generating consistent, explosive movement off the line of scrimmage. Defenders struggle to match his physicality and intensity, and if they don’t, they simply have no shot on the play. Bull rushes die on contact with Campbell, as he plays with a wide, sturdy base in pass protection.

Campbell is effective in zone schemes, moving with the line to create space for the running back to operate. With plus length, he’s a hassle for pass rushers to get around, as he knows how to hand-fight and keep them at bay. He’s capable of picking up stunts and blitzes without missing a beat, working in sync with his fellow linemen to pick up extra assignments and communicate responsibilities on the fly.

Against explosive, twitchy 3-techs, Campbell struggles. He doesn’t have great redirect ability in the pocket, and pass rushers had success outmaneuvering him to the quarterback. He really isn’t built to succeed in space, as he’s slow-footed and clunky on the move. Campbell is still developing his pass protection skills and may need time in the NFL to get up to speed.

As a fifth-round pick, Campbell can be a good depth guard. Even though he isn’t equipped to be a puller or to take on tough interior pass blocking assignments, he’s a tough task for defenders to handle in short-yardage situations. He’s also been on a consistent path of growth over his time in college and could continue to develop if given the opportunity. Teams rely on players like Campbell to fill in for starters in a pinch and I think he can do that, with the potential to become a starter himself down the line.