Olu Oluwatimi Among Nation's Best Interior Offensive Linemen

Michigan's offensive line was really good last year and was held down by center Andrew Vastardis. In 2022, the line may be even better with transfer Olu Oluwatimi.

Michigan might actually be better up front in 2022 after winning the Joe Moore Award for the nation's best offensive line in 2021 for one major reason — Olusegun Oluwatimi.

🚨 EARLY TOP 10 2023 IOL LIST 🚨 pic.twitter.com/BetpMlYlxn

— PFF College (@PFF_College) July 22, 2022

The graduate transfer center from Virginia is viewed as one of the best interior linemen in the entire country. On a recently minted list from Pro Football Focus, Olu came in at No. 5 in the nation.

Michigan is going to be really, really good along the offensive line. This is not meant to be a knock on last year's center, Andrew Vastardis, but Olu is a bonafide NFL prospect. During his four years at Virginia, he established himself as one of the best snappers in the land.

2021 – Started all 12 games of the season and 32-straight, which dates back to 2019… Played 910 snaps on the season, the most by any ACC center… According to Pro Football Focus, Oluwatimi was rated the number two center in the nation in run blocking and led the ACC… Graded out at 88.2 percent (Pro Football Focus) and had nine pancake blocks against Illinois helping him earn ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week on 9/13.

2020– Started all 10 of UVA’s games at center… spearheaded an offensive line that ranked No. 1 in the ACC and No. 12 in the nation in tackles for loss allowed (4.2), while also ranking No. 2 in the ACC with 2.0 sacks allowed a game… called the protections for an offensive line that ranked No. 3 in the nation among “Power-5” schools in most rushing yards before contact per rush attempt (2.70), trailing just Ohio State and Notre Dame… had a 99 percent target success rate on pass pro opportunities, while his run calls through three games stands at a 96 percent target success rate… allowed only one sack and had 20 pancake blocks in one-on-one blocking situations for the Cavaliers in nine ACC games.

2019 – Started 13 of UVA’s 14 games at center… missed the start against Old Dominion with a hand injury, but played at both guard positions against the Monarchs… set the pass protection and had a 97 percent target success rate in five-on-five/six protections… allowed zero sacks and zero quarterback hits… helped block for quarterback Bryce Perkins, one of two quarterbacks in the nation with 3,000+ passing yards and 700+ rushing yards… blocked for Perkins as he broke the UVA single-season passing record and single-season total offense record.

2018 – Did not appear in any games… sat out season to serve a year of residence due to the NCAA transfer rule.

Some younger players already on the roster, like Greg Crippen, Raheem Anderson and Reece Atteberry, are certainly battling it out at the center position, but Oluwatimi seems like a lock to win the starting job in 2022.