Latest news with #offensiveLine
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former NFL OL Has Strong Thoughts on Titans Coach Bill Callahan
Former NFL OL Has Strong Thoughts on Titans Coach Bill Callahan originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Last season in Tennessee, there were tons of questions about the offensive line. Unfortunately, the answers received from the 2024 Titans offensive line were not good, with all quarterbacks who lined up under center being under duress a lot. In the 2025 offseason, the Titans addressed that, signing former Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Dan Moore, Detroit Lions guard Kevin Zeitler and moving 2024 first-round pick JC Latham from left tackle to right tackle. With this reconfigured room, the Titans are hoping for better production and protection up front. Advertisement And while the players have to do the work, the coaches also have to prepare the players to be at their best. That is where Titans offensive line coach Bill Callahan, the father of head coach Brian Callahan, comes in. The veteran NFL coach has had numerous offensive linemen he has coached over the years, and although the Titans' offensive line as a whole did not play consistently well, there is still confidence he will get this group to where they need to be. Former NFL offensive lineman George Foster, in his most recent appearance on the Touring The AFC South podcast, spoke to the genius of the elder Callahan when it comes to offensive linemen "Bill Callahan is the man," Foster said. "He is the GOAT. I have seen what he has done with guys during my time as a scout that I did not think, for lack of a better word, were worth anything. I have seen him get some use of them. Whether it be for a few years or in spot duty. I have seen him get work out of guys that probably shouldn't be in the league as long as they were." Callahan, over his 30 years in the NFL, has established a reputation that is well-known for his expertise in offensive line play. And with the Titans, another challenge stands in front of him. In Year 2, he now works with a group whose talent has been upgraded. But his challenge is to get the absolute best out of them as a unit. He did the best with what he had last year, but we shall see what he can do with the pieces he has this season. But there isn't any shortage of confidence in the abilities he has as an offensive line coach, as Foster stated. Advertisement Related: What the PFF Numbers Say About the Titans Defense Related: Details Emerge on Cam Ward Docuseries That's Coming to Streaming This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rivals Five-Star: Key OL storylines to follow heading into Indianapolis
The Rivals Five-Star is being held June 23-24 at the Indianapolis Colts' practice facility. Here are four offensive line storylines we're following heading into the biggest event of the summer. RIVALS FIVE-STAR EVENT: Roster | Big Ten programs in the spotlight | SEC programs in the spotlight | Key QB storylines | Key RB storylines | Key WR storylines | Key TE storylines | Rivals Five-Star heading back to Indy BEST OF RIVALS CAMP SERIES: The five best QBs of the 2025 Rivals Camp Series regionals | Five best RBs | Five best WRs/TEs | Five best OL | Five best DL | Five best LBs | Five best DBs CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State FELIX OJO MAKES A CASE FOR NO. 1 No offensive tackle has made a more steady rise toward the top of the rankings this offseason than Felix Ojo – the third-ranked offensive tackle in the Rivals250 – who shined at the All-American Bowl and various camp settings this off-season. Advertisement Only Jackson Cantwell and Immanuel Iheanacho stand in front of Ojo at OT and Ojo will have an opportunity to compete against an array of blue-chip defensive linemen and edge defenders in Indianapolis. Texas, Ohio State and Michigan view Ojo as the best OT in the class and we're excited to see him in this setting. MATT LUKE'S RECORD CLASS Jeff McCulloch/ Matt Luke and the Clemson Tigers are reeling in blue-chip offensive linemen at a high clip in the 2026 cycle. Clemson went 5-for-5 up front with its offensive line targets and three of the five future Tigers in Indianapolis will be along the O-line. Advertisement Four-star offensive tackle Chancellor Barclay and four-star interior offensive linemen Carter Scruggs and Grant Wise will all be on hand. Barclay is one of the most athletic offensive tackles in the class. Scruggs was in contention for MVP honors at the Rivals Camp Series in Dallas. Wise boasts a unique athletic profile as a standout weightlifter as well. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH CLEMSON FANS AT IRISH WELL-REPRESENTED IN INDIANAPOLIS Notre Dame is always stout in the trenches and Marcus Freeman's program will be represented with a pair of four-star offensive linemen in Indianapolis. Four-stars Tyler Merrill and Ben Nichols are among the offensive linemen set to compete and both rank among the Irish's highest-rated recruits in the 2026 class. Advertisement Merrill and Nichols rank as the Nos. 3 and 6 interior OL in the Rivals250 and make up half of the Irish's OL haul so far in this class. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH NOTRE DAME FANS AT SEVERAL NOTABLE UNDERCLASSMEN The double-digit offensive line group competing at the Rivals Five-Star is upperclassmen-heavy. Three 2027 offensive linemen will compete in Indy, including Kennedy Brown, the No. 11 overall prospect in the Rivals250 in next year's recruiting class. Four-star Ismael Camara is also set to make the trip. A native of France, Camara preps at Gilmer (Texas) High School in East Texas and was the Offensive Line MVP at the Rivals Camp Series in Dallas. Similarly, four-star Lex Mailangi was a convincing Offensive Line MVP at the Rivals Camp Series in Los Angeles.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Class Impact: Notre Dame Lands Tackle Grayson McKeogh
Class Impact: Notre Dame Lands Tackle Grayson McKeogh originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Notre Dame added another big time talent to its 2026 recruiting class by landing a commitment from offensive tackle Grayson McKeogh. The Wyndmoor (Pa.) LaSalle College High School standout made his decision after an official visit to South Bend. Notre Dame beat Penn State and Texas to land McKeogh. Advertisement Let's break down how his commitment impacts the Notre Dame 2026 class. NOTRE DAME CLASS IMPACT McKeogh is the 17th player to commit to Notre Dame in the 2026 class. He's the 10th offensive player to commit, with half of the offensive commitments being offensive lineman. Coming into his class Notre Dame was looking to land at least four offensive linemen, something the staff accomplished even before McKeogh committed. What the four-man haul it landed before McKeogh lacked as a pure offensive tackle, and that's what makes this commitment so important. Notre Dame landed three players with tackle skills in the 2025 class when it signed Will Black, Owen Strebig and Matty Augustine. Black is a pure tackle, but both Strebig and Augustine could play guard. Even if all three stay at tackle there is no doubt Notre Dame needed at least one tackle in this class. Patrick and Nichols could potentially play tackle, but their best positions are arguably inside. Landing McKeogh means at least one player in the 2026 class has his highest ceiling on the outside. NOTRE DAME FIT Notre Dame has thrived recruiting and producing offensive tackles over the last 15 years, so the standard is high at the position. McKeogh has the kind of raw talent to fit into that tradition. With Mike Denbrock running the offense, Notre Dame also needs tackles that can not only be high level run blockers, it also needs players that can dominate in pass protection. McKeogh has the tools to be at least a solid run blocker, but there's potential for his run production to be outstanding. But where he projects best right now is in pass protection, an area where he could be elite. That's what makes him a pure left tackle prospect in the Notre Dame offense. FILM ANALYSIS McKeogh has a very unique frame. He's all of 6-7 but right now he only weighs about 260-270 pounds. The Pennsylvania standout is still quite lean but he has the frame to easily get over 300 pounds. His frame reminds me a lot of former Notre Dame tackle and Pennsylvania native Mike McGlinchey from a frame standpoint. I also don't think McKeogh will need a lot of time to put on that good weight, and perhaps by his second season he could have what he needs size wise. The frame is certainly there, including having outstanding length, which is a huge plus on the edge as a tackle. Advertisement Like most young linemen, McKeogh will need to keep adding strength, both upper and lower body. Despite the lack of ideal girth, McKeogh shows good power for his size. He has strong hands and plays with some pop, and he is able to get very good movement in the run game as a prep player. As he fills out and gets stronger this could become a major strength of his game even at the college level. McKeogh certainly has the demeanor you want in an offensive linemen. He's aggressive, he's physical, he plays with some attitude and he is already a strong finisher, despite being basically a first-year offensive lineman. What makes McKeogh a truly top level prospect is that he combines big time athleticism with that length, size potential and playing style. As a sophomore he was more of a defensive end, and he showed D1 ability at that position. Despite adding a lot of weight as a junior, McKeogh showed impressive foot quickness and speed. He's extremely quick out of his stance and shows high level change of direction skills. That's a must for an offensive tackle in the Notre Dame offense. As a run blocker, McKeogh comes off the line with impressive foot quickness, and his leg drive is surprisingly advanced for a guy who is relatively new to the position. He plays with good power and surprisingly good pad level, which helps him be a strong player at the point of attack despite being 6-7. There is a lot of technical work needed, but I'm impressed with how quickly he's picked up the position and the feel he has for the position as well. Be sure to check out the Irish Breakdown message board, the Champions Lounge Advertisement Irish Breakdown Content 2025 Scholarship Chart 2025 Football Schedule Notre Dame 2026 Commits Notre Dame 2026 Scholarship Offers 2025 Commit Rankings - Offense 2025 Commit Rankings - Defense 2024 Recruiting Class 2023 Recruiting Class 2022 Recruiting Class ——————— Become a premium Irish Breakdown member, which grants you access to all of our premium content and our premium message board! Click on the link below for more. BECOME A MEMBER Be sure to stay locked into Irish Breakdown all the time! Join the Irish Breakdown community! Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown YouTube channel Subscribe to the Irish Breakdown podcast on iTunes Follow me on Twitter: @CoachD178 Like and follow Irish Breakdown on Facebook Sign up for the FREE Irish Breakdown daily newsletter This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Commanders New Tackle Speaks Out on First Rounder
Commanders New Tackle Speaks Out on First Rounder originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Laremy Tunsil has been a member of some good offensive lines. He's also been a part of some of the worst ones in recent memory. Advertisement The five-time Pro Bowl tackle has remained one of the more consistent players in his position. Now, as a member of the Washington Commanders, Tunsil's goal is simple. He wants to continue playing at a high level and anchor an offensive line on a unit that is looking to reach the Super Bowl in 2025. Part of that also means helping to teach Washington's first-round rookie tackle moving forward. Washington drafted Oregon right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. with the 29th pick in April's selection process. Conerly is expected to compete right away for a role on the right side of the line. Through minicamp, the young tackle has impressed the veteran. Advertisement "You know who I'm really impressed with, though? JC [Conerly]," Tunsil said after Thursday's minicamp practice. "JC's gonna be a dog, and I'm not just saying that just to blow smoke up his (expletive). "I can't wait to see it." Washington has one of the best young quarterbacks in the game today. Jayden Daniels' work last season was remarkable, considering how his offensive line was struggling. It's why the Commanders addressed the position group this offseason. If Tunsil and Conerly can be impactful right away, the Commanders should be able to be one of the best offenses in the league. Arming Daniels with an elite supporting cast is the key to winning a Super Bowl, and Washington got at least two steps closer up front this spring. Advertisement Related: Hall of Fame Receiver Demands Commanders Pay Terry McLaurin Related: Commanders Rival Gives Love To Jayden Daniels This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chiefs Graded For 'Smart' Offensive Moves This Offseason
Chiefs Graded For 'Smart' Offensive Moves This Offseason originally appeared on Athlon Sports. We are at the stage of the offseason where OTAs and minicamps have taken place, and it is a hard period to truly judge offensive line play, with the Kansas City Chiefs a big watch here. Advertisement Given that teams are unable to practice with physicality due to the NFL CBA, offensive linemen are often going against air, so we won't truly know what the Chiefs have in Jaylon Moore and rookie left tackle Josh Simmons until training camp. But the line itself, for some, still has some uncertainty around it, with Patrick Mahomes' left side completely new, and that will take time to mesh. However, while some are skeptical of the offensive line as a whole, Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr is rather bullish on what general manager Brett Veach was able to do this offseason. "I think what Kansas City did was smart," Orr said. "You got Josh Simmons, but you back-stopped that with Jaylon Moore. And all of a sudden, even though you lose Joe Thuney, this doesn't look as crazy as it used to. There seems to be some sort of there there." Former San Francisco 49ers guard Jaylon Moore blocks Arizona Cardinals linebacker Dennis Yamashita-Imagn Images Orr is right; it doesn't look crazy, but there are still many unknowns about the Chiefs' offensive line. Plus, we haven't spoken of Kingsley Suamataia moving inside to left guard from tackle. Advertisement That is another element to consider. After Mahomes was sacked a career-high 36 times last season, are the new additions to his protection enough to adequately keep him upright? Right now, that is unknown, but Orr seems confident that Moore, who is a career backup, and Simmons, when he gets healthy, can be solid players in front of Patrick. Granted, this is all a projection; with training camp, we will get a definitive look at how the front five will mesh together. Are the Chiefs "smart" for their business regarding the offensive line additions? We'll let the cake bake on that one. Related: Travis Kelce's Slimmer Frame Could Improve Play Related: Chiefs Exuding Confidence in Mahomes Backup This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
