Previewing Boston College Football's 2026 Position Groups: Offensive Line

A relatively high number of Boston College football offensive-line products have made it to the National Football League (NFL) recently, which has led to the program using the “O-line U” slogan.

BC isn’t the only school in the country laying claim to that moniker, but it surely is one of the few that has plenty of evidence to back it up.

Just last year, in the 2026 NFL Draft, two offensive lineman were drafted out of the program — Jude Bowry to the Buffalo Bills and Logan Taylor to the Los Angeles Chargers — and there has been at least one offensive lineman drafted from BC in four of the last five drafts.

Let’s take a deeper look at what the Eagles possess in that room, led by first-year O-line coach Kurt Anderson, this year.

At a Glance

The only true returning starter on the offensive line this season is redshirt-junior center Michael Crounse, who was initially the backup to Dwanye Allick last season but took over after Allick’s snapping troubles became too costly for Bill O’Brien to rightfully keep him out on the field. He ended up making nine total starts.

Crounse’s leadership role on the team has increased drastically ever since, and he has fully started to embrace the “big brother figure” for his position group this year.

“I think I’m a pretty mixed guy,” Crounse said, referring to his leadership style. “I like to lead by example, but like our line coach has said, there’s no such thing as lead by example. You have to be vocal as well. So [I’m] trying to implement that more, being a vocal guy, kind of trying to get the offense going and stuff like that.”

Sophomore Robert Smith IV is the only other player with prior starting experience for the Eagles — he made five in 2025 to be exact — and the Cleveland, Ohio, native is looking to build on that exposure to ACC defensive linemen as he transitions into a full-time role as a guard this year, likely on the left side.

Another player that both head coach Bill O’Brien and Crounse mentioned as a key returner is redshirt sophomore Judah Pruitt, who played in 11 games in 2025, primarily on field goal and PAT protection units.

The Newark, N.J., native entered the UConn game last year at left guard and also saw action against Louisville, but he is expected to do a lot more in 2026.

Then it turns to newcomers, for the most part.

This offseason, six of the Eagles’ 28 total transfers were offensive linemen, and there is certainly an expectation that at least a few of them will receive regular playing time.

Michigan State transfer Kristian Phillips, a redshirt senior, made four starts in six appearances for the Spartans in 2025, but injuries have blown up a decent chunk of his career. If he can remain healthy, he is looking at a fairly concrete role within that unit.

Tennessee State transfer Veguer Jean-Jumeau, who boasts a 6-foot-9-inch, 305-pound frame, allowed just two sacks in 664 offensive snaps en route to 2025 All-OVC Honorable Mention and HBCU/Phil Steele Freshman All-American honors, and he is starting to look like a steal for BC.

Trevon Humphrey, who was a three-time All-MEAC selection and made 36 career starts at tackle for North Carolina Central, will also be in the mix for regular playing time of the transfer haul, which additionally includes Owen Snively from Eastern Michigan, Jani Norwood from North Carolina, and Reggie Jackson from Jacksonville State.

The freshmen are also an intriguing bunch, as the group consists of some overwhelmingly large individuals, such as Marc Antunes Jr. (6-8, 300), Lawrence Iyalekhue (6-7, 330), and Bruno Werner (6-9, 280).

Projected Early-Season Depth Chart*

*This is just the projected two-deep, and it’s possible that combinations will change throughout training camp as the season approaches.

Left tackle

1. Veguer Jean-Jumeau

2. Pape Abdoulaye Sy

Left guard

1. Robert Smith IV

2. Jani Norwood

Center

1. Michael Crounse

2. Amir Johnson OR DJ Williams

Right guard

1. Judah Pruitt

2. Kristian Phillips

Right tackle

1. Trevon Humphrey

2. Reggie Jackson

2026 Boston College Football Offensive Linemen

Michael Crounse – Redshirt Junior, 6-4, 315

Played in all 12 games with nine starts at center in 2025. Made first-career start against Cal on Sept. 27, paving the way for Turbo Richard to rush for a career-high 171 yards on the ground. From Schnecksville, Pa., and attended DeMatha Catholic prior to his BC career.

Robert Smith IV – Sophomore, 6-4, 315

Played in eight games with five starts at both left and right guard. Made first-career start at right guard against Cal. Was a three-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals, 247Sports, and On3 out of Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School, where he was named First Team All-District as a senior.

Judah Pruitt – Redshirt Sophomore, 6-4, 315

Played on special teams in 11 games in 2025, including two games at left guard (UConn, Louisville), after redshirting freshman year. A former two-way product at Malcom X Shabazz High School, and additionally played basketball.

Veguer Jean-Jumeau – Redshirt Sophomore, 6-9, 305

From Nashville, Tenn., started all 12 games at tackle for Tennessee State last season, allowing running back Kendric Rhymes to accumulate over 700 yards from scrimmage and four scores. Allowed only two sacks in 664 offensive snaps.

Trevon Humphrey – Redshirt Senior, 6-5, 310

Greensboro, N.C., native who totaled 36 career starts as a tackle for NC Central, in which he picked up All-MEAC honors in three consecutive years, including a BOXTOROW All-America selection in 2025 after starting for an offense that led the conference in scoring (33.8 ppg) and ranked second in total offense (449.5 ypg).

Pape Abdoulaye Sy – Redshirt Sophomore, 6-7, 320

NFL Academy product from Dakar, Senegal, who saw his first game action at left tackle in the second quarter of BC’s loss to Notre Dame last year. Then saw action at right tackle in the fourth quarter against SMU the next week. He played on the field-goal and PAT protection units in 11 games.

Jani Norwood – Redshirt Sophomore, 6-4, 330

Played in six career games for UNC, helping the Tar Heels rush for 100+ yards on six occasions in 2025, including one game with 200+ yards. Made his first career start in the 2024 Fenway Bowl against UConn.

Amir Johnson – Redshirt Junior, 6-4, 320

Transferred to BC from Merrimack, where he played tackle primarily, in the 2025 offseason. Saw action in 10 games last year for the Eagles, primarily on special teams. Appears to be transitioning to center.

DJ Williams – Redshirt Freshman, 6-2, 300

Came in as a top-20 overall recruit from the state of New York, per 247Sports and On3, and joined the program during the summer last year. Played in just one game while maintaining his redshirt.

Kristian Phillips – Redshirt Senior, 6-4, 315

Was rated the second-best offensive guard in the state of Georgia and one of the best guard prospects in the nation by Rivals (No. 14) in the class of 2021. Played in 18 career games for MSU, including six in 2025.

Reggie Jackson – Redshirt Junior, 6-5, 295

Played in 26 career games between Jax State and Tusculum University (Division II) before transferring. Made 11 starts at right tackle in 2025, paving the way for Conference USA Player of the Year in running back Cam Cook, who led the league in rushing yards (127.6 ypg) and all-purpose yards (149.6).

Owen Snively – Redshirt Senior, 6-4, 305

Made 21 appearances with 10 starts at Eastern Michigan, where he transferred from. Spent three years at Colorado State before his first transfer, making six starts across eight appearances.

Souleye Diawara – Redshirt Sophomore, 6-9, 340

From The Hague, Netherlands, Diawara redshirted the 2024 season and played in 10 games last year, primarily for field goals and PATs.

Dean Ruksnaitis – Freshman, 6-3, 280

A product of Williston Northampton and from Paxton, Mass., he was ranked as the number nine interior offensive lineman in the country and a top-15 prospect from Mass. after earning NEPSAC Class-A Lineman of the Year honors.

Marek Jin – Freshman, 6-3, 290

Ranked as the number three interior O-lineman in the country and a consensus number-one ranked prospect from the state of New Hampshire, as well as a member of the ESPN 300. Earned All-NEPSAC and IAC defensive lineman honors at Phillips Exeter Academy in 2024 and 2025.

Bruno Werner – Freshman, 6-9, 280

From Chemnitz, Germany, and an NFL Academy product, Werner transitioned from playing soccer to football and became a consensus top-five international prospect in the class of 2026. He joins Pape Sy and Andy Quinn as current Eagles that matriculated from the Academy.

Lawrence Iyalekhue – Freshman, 6-7, 330

The fourth-ranked player from the state of New York out of Roosevelt High School, he earned All-Section, All-League and Offensive Lineman of the Year honors as a senior before joining the Eagles at the beginning of this summer.

Marc Antunes Jr. – 6-8, 300

From Dorchester, Mass., was a consensus four-star prospect ranked in the top-five from Mass., including a top-75 O-line recruit nationally. Won three state championships with Catholic Memorial. Did not allow a single sack as a senior.

This is the fourth story of Boston College Eagles On SI's summer position previews series. We're providing an in-depth look at every position group through the rest of August.

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