The 'On The Clock' crew of Matt Williamson, Mike Prisuta and Max Starks take a look at the top prospects in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, which will be held in Pittsburgh in April. Today, they delve into the interior offensive line positions.
Note: The opinions expressed here are their own and not those of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Matt's Take
Matt's Take: This is a good, not great, group of interior offensive line prospects. Spencer Fano's best position at the next level might be guard, but I included him with the offensive tackles. That leaves just one surefire first round pick from the interior linemen. Don't be surprised though if a handful of starting centers emerge from this draft class, although several could be positioned changes in the NFL.
Matt's Rankings
1. Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State, 6-4, 320 lbs. - Ioane is the best offensive lineman in this draft class regardless of position, but as a pure guard, he won't be the first drafted. He is a good athlete but not special in that regard. But Ioane just moves people-and loves doing so. Penn State really weaponized this killer blocker.
2. Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon, 6-4, 314 lbs. - Another pure guard, Pregnon just bullies his opponent. Pregnon is a little on the older side but should also step right into a starting position with his new team. He isn't a fantastic athlete and might not have the highest of ceilings, but when Pregnon gets his powerful hands on the opponent, it is usually over.
3. Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M, 6-5, 315 lbs. - Bisontis has some work to do still with his pass blocking technique, but by no means is he a liability in this regard. But he excels in the run game, both in tight quarters and out in space hitting smaller targets. His length is just average, but that shouldn't be a concern as an immediate starting NFL guard.
4. Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech, 6-4, 316 lbs. - This is a tough guy that makes his presence felt immediately. But don't discredit Rutledge's athletic ability, something he put on display at the Combine-particularly with a great short shuttle. Rutledge will fit any scheme at the next level.
5. Sam Hecht, Kansas, 6-4, 303 lbs. - Hecht tops the pure centers, but barely over Auburn's Connor Lew. Hecht isn't the bulkiest, longest, or best athlete, but he consistently gets the job done and has outstanding understanding of the position. Hecht is simply a great technician and that almost always translates well to the league.
Sleeper: Brian Parker, Duke, 6-5, 309 lbs. - Graham Barton (also from Duke) made the transition from offensive tackle to center. That is also Parker's most likely path to a prominent role in the NFL. Parker just lacks the required length to stay at tackle. But he did possess a great understanding of blocking angles and maximizes his abilities. Parker certainly has the mind for the center position.
Mike's Take
There are multiple positions this year where one of the prospects is perceived to be a clear-cut choice as the best of the bunch.
Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, who is not only the presumptive QB1 but the anticipated first-overall pick, is such a player.
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles and Oregon tight end Kenyon Sediq are also widely viewed as the best players at their respective positions without much competition for that designation.
And when it comes to interior offensive linemen, Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane also fits that description, to the degree that he may well wind up as the only interior offensive linemen to hear his name called in Round One.
Mike's Rankings
1. Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State, 6-4, 320 lbs. - He's likely to go, not just in the first round but in the Top 15-overall selections. NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah considers Ioane an "impact starter from Day One." It's a difficult if not impossible assessment to argue.
2. Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon, 6-4, 314 lbs. - He started 51 of 52 career games played for Wyoming (2022; he didn't play in 2020 and was redshirted in 2021), USC (2023-324) and Oregon (2025). Pregnon distinguished himself well enough in 2025 to earn First-Team Associated-Press All-America honors. He has the look and the resume of a plug-and-play prospect.
3. Gennings Dunker, Iowa, 6-5, 319 lbs. - He has the tools and he has the tape. And he's become a sensation early in the pre-draft process because of his red hair and mullet. "I think it really helps you block better," Dunker insisted regarding his hairstyle choice of preference on "The Rich Eisen Show." Dunker might be the most in-your-face personality among offensive line prospects since Quinn Meinerz made his belly-first transition to the NFL from Wisconsin-Whitewater in 2021. Dunker will transition from tackle to guard with an Iowa offensive lineman's pedigree.
4. Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M, 6-5, 315 lbs. - A three-year player at Texas A&M, Bisontis is still ascending. But he's drawing rave reviews in the process. Jeremiah considers Bisontis a player who has "starter ability and is an asset in the run game." And Lance Zierlein, an analyst for NFL.com, maintains Bisontis "projects as a future starter with plenty of upside."
5. Connor Lew, Auburn, 6-3, 310 lbs. - An ACL injury limited Lew to seven games in 2025 but if he checks out medically all of the boxes will have been checked. As a three-year player he's still developing but he was still a team captain at Auburn. And he's played enough and well enough to make a name for himself in what's considered by some to be a thin crop of centers. An anonymous NFL personnel director assessed the position and Lew's place in it as follows to NFL.com: "A lot of the centers this year don't translate into our game like Lew will."
Sleeper: Fernando Carmona, Arkansas, 6-4, 318 lbs. - Arm length (321/8") makes guard the spot for Carmona in the NFL. But he'll shift positions with 25 starts at left tackle in the SEC on his resume (as well as 24 more over the final two of his three seasons at San Jose State). He's much more a combatant than he is a technician but Carmona is potentially intriguing.
Max's Take
The interior offensive line position is key. This group consists of three different player group types in one area and deciphering the top five out of all three of those might seem a bit tough and I may miss somebody in this process, but given I'm picking left guard, right guard, and center position for five slots. I'm gonna do the best that I can with disseminating who's the best fit and the top really two at each position with a high consideration for position flexibility being key. So when you read this, don't take this as testament, but this is a good starting place for guys who have an exceptional skill who can be early producers, and also eventual starters early in their careers.
Max's Rankings
1. Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State, 6-4, 320 lbs. - He is the best interior alignment in this year's draft, no doubt. He will be an instant upgrade to whatever team he goes to and will be slated as a day one starter.
2. Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon, 6-4, 314 lbs. - Here is what you want in an offensive guard and they all looks department, but there are substance behind the stature. Physical at the point of attack and good body awareness, keep him as an immediate upgrade at the guard position.
3. Kadyn Proctor, Alabama, 6-7, 351 lbs. - Proctor slates to me, as a potentially really good guard, his massive size and weight are a plus on the interior and a negative on the exterior, hence why I have him slated at the guard position, even though somebody could realistically take him at the tackle position as well.
4. Chase Bisontis, Texas A&M, 6-5, 315 lbs. - Heavy hands and quick feet will get a guard everywhere in the NFL, and Bisontis has the double whammy to be an effective player on the inside at the next level
5. Gennings Dunker, Iowa, 6-5, 319 lbs. - If the name doesn't tell you what he's all about, surely hit his red hot locks will! Dunker is explosive, nasty and athletic guard. All the things you want to see in an NFL guard and the personality to boot.
Sleepers: Logan Jones, Iowa, 6-3, 299 lbs. - People might sleep on the slender frame of Logan Jones, but he is a gritty, experienced and tough opponent at the center position.
