2026 OL Preview

[catdaddyp]

It took coach JRod a few seasons of recruiting to get the offensive line to a point where there was enough quality depth to compete on a weekly basis. Now the challenge has shifted from building depth to retaining developed talent. This offseason alone, four linemen transferred to power programs — three were high school recruits and one was a JUCO addition. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: coach JRod does as good a job as anyone in the MAC when it comes to identifying under recruited prospects with high upside and then developing them into legitimate contributors.

 

 

Returning Starters:

C. Lyons is the lone holdover from the previous regime and returns as the starting center. He really came on strong toward the end of last season, so having him back is a big plus heading into 2026.

 

A. Jones opened 2025 as the starting right guard before eventually sliding outside and splitting time at right tackle with M. King. Jones also finished the season playing some of his best football and is the likely favorite to lock down the starting right tackle spot this year.

 

A. Archer closed out 2025 as the starting left guard and also logged snaps at right guard throughout the season. His versatility gives the staff options and he’ll likely step back into one of the starting guard spots this fall.

 

 

Who else returns?

A. Fox is a former JUCO All-American who may finally be ready to step in and contribute in a meaningful way. Injuries have seemingly slowed his development since arriving on campus, but the talent is there.

 

For whatever reason, former Alabama signee D. Shor hasn’t panned out yet. One former Alabama insider claimed Shor stepped away from the team in 2022 due to mental health concerns. I can’t speak to the situation, but hopefully he’s able to put everything together and eventually provide a boost along the offensive line.

 

J. Mann is now a redshirt sophomore and should begin pushing for meaningful snaps sooner rather than later. At 6’7”, 310 pounds, he has the physical tools to develop into a solid tackle.

 

J. Gould is another young tackle with plenty of upside, though he’s probably still a year, or two, away from being ready for major snaps.

 

 

Portal Additions:

I. Falkner started at left tackle for DII Missouri Southern State University. He’s built more like a guard, but should have enough athleticism to stick outside at tackle in the MAC.

 

C. Slayden is now on his fourth and final stop after previous stints at JUCO, Troy University, and University of Southern Mississippi. He’s logged snaps at nearly every position along the offensive line throughout his career. Captain mentioned during the spring that Slayden was working at left tackle.

 

B. Smith started at center for Merrimack (FCS) before transferring to South Dakota (FCS) this past season, where he served as a backup across multiple interior OL spots. He should provide depth behind Lyons at center.

 

J. Hoskins comes from a Lackawanna College program set to transition to DII this coming year. He earned 2nd Team JUCO All-American honors while playing left tackle. Hoskins moves exceptionally well for someone listed at 350 pounds. That said, trimming some weight would help maximize his effectiveness at the FBS level. He originally committed to Old Dominion University during this signing cycle before ultimately changing course.

 

D. Christman-Gourley is another JUCO addition. Piecing together DCG’s path hasn’t been easy. It appears he went the JUCO route out of high school, though it’s unclear how long he remained with the football program. There are spring highlights floating around, but I haven’t been able to track down any actual JUCO game film. I believe he has four years to play three. Regardless, based on his high school tape and limited JUCO highlights, DCG flashes solid size, length, and agility. He could end up being a strong developmental addition over the next year or two.

 

M. Puckett transferred in from Bethune-Cookman University, where he started at right guard the previous two seasons. An injury early last year limited him to just two games. If healthy, he’ll have a legitimate shot to compete for starting reps this year. Puckett was especially strong in pass protection at Bethune-Cookman.

 

J. Stephens played left tackle in a pass-heavy JUCO offense. At times he had issues dealing with quicker edge rushers and probably projects more as a developmental addition right now.

 

N. Hampton is an interior lineman with solid size and a good frame. He played at powerhouse DeMatha Catholic High School before signing with Saint Francis University. Hampton only appeared in a handful of games there and should still have multiple years of eligibility remaining.

 

 

The Freshmen:

L. Barthelemy - Barthelemy played both ways in high school, and it’s easy to see the upside he brings to the table. However, it’ll take some time to reshape his body before he’s ready to consistently contribute as a tackle at this level. Similar to former high school teammate and Zip Jayvin James, Barthelemy was lightly recruited out of Florida. Coach JRod helped develop James (transferred out after two years in the program) into Mississippi State’s starting left tackle. The tools are there with Barthelemy, but patience will probably be needed early on.

 

E. Rollins - Similar to Barthelemy, Rollins was also lightly recruited coming out of high school. There’s solid upside here, and he may see the field sooner depending on roster need. Rollins appears to be further along physically than Barthelemy, and projects more naturally as an interior lineman. If he continues to develop technically, he could carve out a role quicker than expected.

 

 

Projected Depth Chart:

This is my best projection for who will see the most playing time to begin the season. Coach JRod typically opens the year rotating around 10 guys before tightening things up later in the season.

 

LT

Slayden

Falkner

 

LG

A. Archer

N. Hampton

 

C

C. Lyons

B. Smith

 

RG

A. Fox

M. Puckett

 

RT

A. Jones

D. Shor

 

 

Last Thoughts:

The offensive line lost some key players and guys who absolutely would’ve helped in 2026. Unfortunately, that’s probably something Zips fans are going to have to get used to, as functional offensive linemen are in high demand in today’s NIL environment. All things considered, I think the staff has done a really good job bringing in talent that should be able to step in and contribute right away while also adding developmental pieces for the future. After diving deeper into the position, I’m honestly not all that concerned about this group.

 

 

Returning:

C. Lyons (Gr.)

A. Archer (R. Sr.)

A. Fox (R. Sr.)

A. Jones (R. Sr.)

D. Shor (R. Jr.)

J. Mann (R. So.)

J. Gould (R. Fr.)

 

In:

I. Falkner (R. Sr.) = (DII)

C. Slayden (R. Sr.) = Southern Miss

B. Smith (R. Jr.) = South Dakota (FCS)

J. Hoskins (Jr.) = (JUCO)

M. Puckett (R. So.) = Bethune-Cookman (FCS)

D. Christman-Gourley (So.) = (JUCO)

J. Stephens (So.) = JUCO

N. Hampton (R. Fr.) = St. Francis (FCS)

L. Barthelemy (Fr.)

E. Rollins (Fr.)

 

Out: 

K. Davis = Pittsburgh 

M. King = Iowa State

K. McManus = Auburn

D. Morris = Kansas State

J. Moore = Graduation 

J. Motley-Simmons = Graduation 

D. Johnson = Graduation 

 

Edited 2 hours ago by catdaddyp