Gators 2025 Spring Positional Outlook: Offensive Line

Gators Illustrated is reviewing, and previewing, each position on Florida's roster during the 2025 offseason. Up next is the offensive line.

Sep 7, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators offensive lineman Jake Slaughter (66), quarterback DJ Lagway (2), and offensive lineman Austin Barber (58) celebrate against the Samford Bulldogs after the game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images | Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- A new season approaches, and the Florida Gators will look to breakout in head coach Billy Napier's fourth year after a strong finish to the 2024 campaign.

Familiar faces return, but the Gators saw usual roster attrition in the offseason with 19 total departures from last season, 13 of which were on scholarship, via the NCAA Transfer Portal and more from exhausting their collegiate eligibilities.

As a result, the Gators added 31 total players with a 26-signee high school class and a five-signee transfer portal class.

Gators Illustrated is breaking down each position on Florida's roster as the team approaches spring training camp with a review of each unit's 2024 performances and an outlook on the 2025 season and will revisit each position group with a final depth chart prediction during fall camp.

Next is the offensive line, a group where Florida returns four of its five starters from 2024, headlined by an All-American at center.

Quick Review

After a rough 2023 season due to a lack of depth and certain players playing out of position, the Gators nearly overhauled its offensive line unit in 2024 with two starters at guard transferring out of the program in Richie Leonard IV (FSU) and Micah Mazzccua (Nebraska) while right tackle Damieon George Jr. moved inside to guard.

Florida also added a play-now tackle in Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson to take George Jr.'s spot on the right.

As a result, the Gators put up one of its stronger seasons on the offensive line in recent memory. After giving up 39 sacks in 2023, Florida nearly cut the total in half with only 20 given up in 2024. Florida had a strong start with only two sacks through the first five games. In the last five, the Gators did give up seven, largely due to injuries to George Jr. and an immobile quarterback in DJ Lagway, due to his hamstring injury.

Leading the way was center Jake Slaughter, who became the program's most-recent First-Team All-American after a strong season, while other starters Austin Barber (left tackle), Knijeah Harris (left guard), George Jr. and Crenshaw-Dickson became staples of consistency.

Not to mention, the Gators saw the emergence of redshirt freshman Bryce Lovett, who stepped in multiple times towards the end of the year in multiple positions due to injuries ahead of him. He earned Freshman All-SEC honors and was named to the AP All-Bowl Team as a result of his play.

As a unit, the offensive line helped Florida improve its rushing totals (1,794 yards to 2,096) while keeping a similar plus-four-yard average per carry. And, they did it while the Gators used two new running backs in Jadan Baugh and Ja'Kobi Jackson after multiple injuries to Montrell Johnson Jr. and the exit of Trevor Etienne.

Slaughter, Barber and George Jr. have all announced their return with Crenshaw-Dickson being the only main departure, giving the Gators confidence in the unit going into 2025.

Out and In

Scholarship players only

• Out: Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson (Graduation), Christian Williams (Transfer), Mike Williams (Transfer)
• In: Tavaris Dice (Freshman), Jahari Medlock (Freshman), Daniel Pierre Louis (Freshman)

Into 2025

With only Crenshaw-Dickson departing, Florida returns four of its five starters from last season while also returning most of its contributing depth.

Barber and Harris will look to lock down the left side of All-American center Slaughter with Barber and Slaughter looking to increase their draft stock in their last collegiate seasons.

On the right, George Jr. returns at guard after initially flirting with the transfer portal. His position change from tackle to guard proved beneficial for everyone, but late-season injuries led to his time on the field being cut short.

However, the Gators saw the emergence of a redshirt freshman backup with Lovett stepping in his place. A combo guard-tackle, Lovett appears to be the favorite for the open right tackle position due to his play as well as other struggles and injuries to veteran tackles Devon Manuel and Kamryn Waites, who performed better as a guard, anyways.

Roderick Kearney also returns in his combo guard-tackle role, and with Slaughter in his final season, there's the potential for him to see the field as the Gators' "sixth man" on the line to help get him more experience, although it would likely be at either guard spot.

Florida also welcomed three high school recruits to the room in tackles Tavaris Dice and Jahari Medlock alongside guard Daniel Pierrer Louis. However, the Gators haven't been known to play true freshmen right away on the offensive line, and they likely won't have to with this year's experienced group.

That being said, with the prospects of losing multiple seniors after this year, don't be surprised if Florida tries to get some of its younger players experience. Dice, a highly touted four-star recruit, alongside redshirted Fletcher Westphal, another highly touted four-star, will be the two to watch as one of the key future pieces of Florida's tackle room.

With Lagway headlining the offense, last season's unit shined despite the then-freshman lacking mobility due to a hamstring injury. Now with a full-healthy Lagway and the bulk of its production up front returning, the offense is poised to build off of the end of last season's success.

Way Too Early Depth Chart Projection 

Tackles

Starters: Austin Barber (R-Sr.), Bryce Lovett (R-So.)

Backups: Devon Manuel (R-Sr.), Caden Jones (R-So.), Enoch Wangoy (R-Fr.), Fletcher Westphal (R-Fr.). Tavaris Dice (Fr.)

Reserves: Marcus Mascoll (R-Fr.), Jahari Medlock (Fr.), Mark Faircloth (R-Fr.)*

Guards

Starters: Knijeah Harris (Jr.), Damieon George Jr. (R-Sr.)

Backups: Kamryn Waites (R-Sr.), Roderick Kearney (R-So.), Noel Portnjagin (R-Fr.),

Reserves: Daniel Pierre Louis (Fr.), Bryan Rosenberg (R-Fr.)*

Center

Starter: Jake Slaughter (R-Sr.)

Backup: Roderick Kearney (R-So.)

Reserve: Jason Zandamela-Popa (R-Fr.), Chase Stevens (R-Fr.)*