Top FCS Offensive Line Transfers To Know for the 2026 Season

With the transfer portal window and National Signing Day in the rearview, it's time to turn our focus to analyzing all the great talent that signed with FCS programs across the country.

We will be releasing positional rankings for the top FCS transfers ahead of the 2026 season. It will culminate in our annual FCS transfer portal rankings, which will be released in early March.

There are many different ways to evaluate players and prospects, and these rankings are not meant to guarantee that a player will be successful, but to give an indication of how much value and potential they bring for the 2026 season.

We approached the offensive line unit a little bit differently. Offensive line is a very difficult position to evaluate when the available film is limited, and the success of a player could be greatly influenced by the overall unit. There are a ton of prospects below who have high potential despite limited snaps played.

Many teams across the country have made a strong effort to retain key offensive linemen. Because of this, we will highlight the top players as usual, but they are not ranked. Players are organized alphabetically based on which team they signed with.

Below are the top transfer offensive linemen across FCS football ahead of the 2026 season, along with some notable honorable mentions.

Joshua Miller (Austin Peay)

Miller started one game last season at Syracuse, but played a key rotational role, seeing action in six games for the Orange. He has the versatility to play every position across the offensive line. At 6-4, 320, he has excellent size and should immediately push for playing time at Austin Peay.

LaJuan Owens (Central Arkansas)

Owens saw limited action at California last season, but served as the starting left tackle at New Mexico in 2024. He played over 720 snaps for the Lobos, allowing zero sacks and only six pressures in nearly 400 pass-blocking snaps. He's one of the most-proven FBS-to-FCS OL transfers and has a chance to be a star at Central Arkansas this season.

Jacob Ziegler (Chattanooga)

Ziegler played in 24 games over the past two seasons at Morehead State, which includes starts at left tackle in every game in 2025. He took a massive step forward last season, in which he was named an All-PFL honorable mention. He's played over 1,400 snaps for the Eagles and had a 5% pressure rate allowed over the past two years.

Yusef Sanogo-Kendrick (Eastern Kentucky)

Sanogo-Kendrick started 13 games over the past two seasons at SEMO. He's played over 1,000 snaps at right guard, where he helped lead the Redhawks to the FCS Playoffs in 2024. In over 720 pass-blocking snaps, Sanogo-Kendrick has only allowed one sack and 24 quarterback pressures. His run-blocking grade jumped over 15 points from his freshman to sophomore season.

Ryan Dirksen (Incarnate Word)

Dirksen brings experience and a much-needed upgrade to the offensive tackle spot for Incarnate Word. He started all 12 games at Bryant last season, finishing with a solid run-blocking grade (64.2) and did not allow a sack in over 370 pass-blocking snaps. He also spent time at San Diego State and Butte College.

Melvin Collins (Jackson State)

Collins played nearly 200 snaps for Western Kentucky last season, showing the upside to develop into an elite pass blocker. He allowed zero sacks and zero pressures last year. Collins was an All-Conference player at Northwest Mississippi CC and should compete for a starting role for the Tigers this spring.

John Long (McNeese)

Long started 10 games as a redshirt freshman at Rice, but has been limited over the past three years due to injuries. Over four seasons, Long has played over 1,200 snaps at the FBS level, allowing only two sacks and 33 pressures in over 600 pass-blocking snaps. He's consistently improved over his career, giving McNeese a potential anchor at offensive guard next season.

Reed Collins (Monmouth)

Collins was a three-year starter at Lafayette, including helping the Leopards win the Patriot League in 2023. He's paved the way for multiple record-setting running backs, along with having his best pass-blocking season in 2025, with only one sack allowed in 397 pass-blocking snaps. He has the ability to play tackle or guard, bringing nearly 2,000 snaps of experience to Monmouth.

Jack D'Ambra (Montana)

D'Ambra hit the field immediately at San Diego, starting nine games as a true freshman in 2022. Since then, he's seen action in 30 career games, including being named an All-PFL honorable mention in 2023. He was having the best season of his career in 2025 before being sidelined with an injury. He brings much-needed experience (Over 1,800 snaps played) to a Montana offensive line that's replacing multiple starters.

Ty Habersham (Morgan State)

Habersham had a breakout season at New Hampshire, starting seven games for the Wildcats as they made a run to the FCS Playoffs. The redshirt freshman played nearly 600 snaps, allowing only 8 pressures on over 300 pass-blocking snaps. He has the potential to develop into a dominant interior offensive lineman and should push for immediate playing time at Morgan State next season.

Jake Utley (South Dakota)

Utley spent three seasons at UTEP, earning six starts at right tackle for the Miners. He played nearly 500 snaps last season, taking a big step forward as a pass blocker from his freshman season. The Coyotes will be replacing four starters along the offensive line, and I would expect Utley to push for a starting role at offensive tackle next season.

Mateo Lucero (Tennessee Tech)

Lucero has been an anchor at left guard for Wagner over the past three seasons, playing over 1,500 snaps for the Seahawks. He had his best season in 2025, earning third-team All-NEC honors from Phil Steele. Last year, Lucero allowed only two sacks and eight pressures in 327 pass-blocking snaps. He has the versatility to play guard or center and should be an instant starter at Tennessee Tech.

Garrett Masterson (Tennessee Tech)

Masterson is the second Tennessee Tech transfer to make the list, signing with the Golden Eagles after three seasons at Kent State. He played nearly 1,00 snaps in 26 career games over the past two seasons, including multiple starts for the Golden Flashes. He has experience at guard and tackle, giving the Golden Eagles an experienced option to anchor their offensive line next year.

Freddie Pelling (West Georgia)

Pelling is just scratching the surface of his potential, only starting his football career a few years ago in the NFL Academy. He's an international prospect with a rugby and wrestling background, possessing an NFL frame at 6-9, 315 lbs. He's started 20 games over the past two years at Campbell, playing over 1,200 snaps. He is expected to push for a starting offensive tackle spot at West Georgia in 2026.

Aaron McIver (Western Carolina)

McIver has been one of the most consistent offensive linemen in the FCS over the past few years at Gardner-Webb. He's played over 1,500 snaps in the last two seasons, starting every game at left guard in 2025. He earned second-team All-Conference honors for the Runnin' Bulldogs, allowing only one sack and seven pressures in 350 pass-blocking snaps. McIver is a plug-and-play addition for the Catamounts, serving as an important upgrade for the offensive line unit.

Other Names To Know:

Ethan Vazquez (Abilene Christian)
Jeff Burton (Austin Peay)
Bennett Ringleb (Central Arkansas)
Ty Williams (ETSU)
Ryan Blum (Fordham)
Kuba Tyszka (Holy Cross)
Zoom Esplin (Idaho State)
Misiolo Maluia (Idaho State)
Anfernee Crease (Lamar)
Bryson Wilson (Mercer)
Chris Leonardo (Merrimack)
Oscar Weigel (Montana)
Kelton Sparks (Morgan State)
Carter Lavrusky (Northern Arizona)
Vysen Lang (Prairie View A&M)
Jayden Bass (Rhode Island)
Luis Gastelum (Southern Illinois)
Connor Van Tassell (Stony Brook)
Terrance Saunders II (Tarleton State)
Evan Carney (Tarleton State)
Kai Wheeler (Tarleton State)
Joshua Robinson (Tennessee Tech)
Jesse Igwe (Tennessee Tech)
Mich'le Joseph (Tennessee Tech)
Ramier Lewis (Texas Southern)
Josh Gaffney (Towson)
Austin Powell (West Georgia)

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