2021 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Big Board: Interior Offensive Linemen

Pittsburgh offensive lineman Jimmy Morrissey (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

The 2021 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Big Board is being rolled out by position, featuring players to watch. Today, we continue with interior offensive linemen:

*NOTE: We at the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl are disappointed for those players whose senior seasons have been disrupted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In respect for those who may still play in 2021, we have altered our preseason Big Board to reflect only those seniors whose schools are actively preparing to play a fall season.

Zion Johnson, OG, Boston College:
After beginning his collegiate career at Davidson and starting only the last seven games of 2019, left guard Zion Johnson showed that he belongs on our Big Board with his play. Standing at 6-3 and 300 pounds, the Bowie, Maryland product is on the slighter side of the guard spectrum but possesses the tools NFL coaches look for in left guards and centers. Johnson routinely displays on tape the ability to quickly get out of his stance, athleticism to execute a variety of move blocks, strength to latch and steer in the run game, anchor to halt a bull rush and the awareness to adjust to a moving picture. Equally impressive is his ability to keep clean by staying on his feet – the true mark of a good athlete.

Tristen Hoge, OG, BYU:
Tristen Hoge looks like a right guard. The two-time Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year award winner is blessed with prototypical guard size and length, and he brings a physical, nasty demeanor to the trenches every snap. One of the strengths of his game is his ability to utilize his length in pass pro to lock-down power rush moves. Gap-scheme NFL offenses best suit this mauler’s skill set but he’ll need to rebound from some inconsistencies after being limited to just five games in 2019.

Jimmy Morrissey, C, Pittsburgh:
Players like Pitt’s Jimmy Morrissey don’t come around often – a four-year starter who’s smart, athletic, physical and with good size. The former walk-on can be seen regularly making the line calls pre-snap, consistently delivering an accurate snap to the quarterback, picking up his man in the scheme and finishing his block through the whistle. After his headiness, Morrissey’s athleticism really shines on tape and that’s why he’s able to execute reach blocks and second level- blocks so efficiently while getting out on screens and even being able to pull to the perimeter on tosses.

2021 NFLPA COLLEGIATE BOWL BIG BOARD: INTERIOR OFFENSIVE LINEMEN