With the final 2024 Rivals250 being unveiled Tuesday, it’s time to dive into the position rankings. The offensive position rankings are being released today, and the national analyst team – Adam Friedman, John Garcia Jr., Adam Gorney and Greg Smith – is giving their takes on which player is the best fit with the team they signed with. Up next are the offensive linemen.
GORNEY: Jordan Seaton
There’s no telling how one offensive lineman will fit into an entire scheme and even though Colorado hardly used high school recruiting again in the 2024 class and went majorly into the transfer portal, five-star Jordan Seaton could be the best fit for the Buffaloes.
Colorado needed to revamp their entire offensive line after it basically gave up running the ball last season and quarterback Shedeur Sanders was getting smashed all the time. The Buffaloes went to the portal for offensive linemen with college experience but Colorado went to UTEP, UConn, Houston, Indiana and FIU to rebuild the o-line.
Seaton has elite ability and could have played at any top program in the country. He’s a fit because Colorado should use him right away.
*****
FRIEDMAN: Cooper Cousins
Eddy Pierre-Louis at Oklahoma is a great fit but my pick here is Cousins at Penn State. The Nittany Lions have been working hard to solidify their offensive line. They’ve had success on the recruiting trail in recent years but the unit hasn’t been as consistent as they want.
Cousins is a great addition who should be able to play early in his career as a guard or center. He has the size, strength, and technical abilities to climb the depth chart quickly and become a multi-year starter for the Nittany Lions.
*****
GARCIA: Elyjah Thurmon
Clemson isn’t known for being an offensive linemen factory, certainly not relative to the NFL, but when it has won at the highest of college football levels it has powerful and versatile technicians up front.
Thurmon is just that, as a prospect Rivals once thought would grow into a tackle before shooting him up the rankings as a guard. The Peach State native can work up and down the front, with a floor at either guard spot and a ceiling perhaps at right tackle. His technique outshines the versatility, however, as Thurmon works with a great base and uses his hands as well as any blue-chip lineman in the class.
Whether it’s as a swing prospect or a stalwart at one of the interior spots, a balanced offense screams for a talent like Thurmon at the contact point.
*****
SMITH: Grant Brix
Nebraska coach Matt Rhule wants to run the football. The Huskers have a strong (but not recent) tradition of being able to pound the rock. There isn’t a better fit to help lead that resurgence than Brix, who is from a small-town in Iowa near Omaha.
Brix has the frame to be a prototypical tackle but his strength is run blocking. If Brix puts it all together under offensive line coach Donovan Raiola, he’ll be a fan favorite in Lincoln.
