Athlon Ranks Husky Offensive Line Among the Big Boys

The University of Washington football team is seeking a return to prominence, trying be more like its 2016 CFP version or its 2017 or 2018 New Year's Day bowl game qualifiers.

All along, it's just needed a little more muscle.

According to polling done by Athlon Sports (full disclosure, I've written the UW season preview for that magazine for 15 years, but have no direct input on its position rankings), the Huskies are ready to play with the big boys — because they have some really good ones.

Athlon has ranked the college game's top offensive lines in this manner:

1) Ohio State

2) Alabama

3) Georgia

4) Clemson

5) Washington

The Huskies return all five starters this fall, guys who form the largest O-line in school history. Georgia also has the same quintet returning.

From left to right, the UW first-teamers are 6-foot-7, 310-pound senior Jaxson Kirkland at tackle; 6-foot-6, 365-pound sophomore Ulumoo Ale at guard; 6-foot-5, 295-pound senior center Luke Wattenberg at center; 6-foot-6, 340-pound senior Henry Bainivalu at guard and 6-foot-3, 320-pound junior Victor Curne at tackle.

These guys are relatively healthy, with none of them having to submit to major surgery and miss time because of it in their college careers.

They are relatively experienced, with Wattenberg back for his sixth year of college football and fifth season as a starter, and Kirkland returning for his fifth season of duty and fourth as a first-teamer. Kirkland, of course, is a returning first-team All-Pac-12 selection, while Wattenberg, Bainivalu and Curne each received all-conference honorable mention last season.

These Huskies are coveted players, too, with Kirkland recently listed in a mock as the 10th player overall going in next April's NFL draft, Wattenberg's last-season switch to center making him much more valuable in the eyes of the pros, and Bainivalu likely working his way into a second-day draft selection.

Ohio State, its offensive line ranked No. 1 by Athlon, returns three starters from its national title runner-up team in 6-foot-6, 331-pound senior left tackle Thayer Munford, who surprised people by taking an extra pandemic-provided season; 6-foot-4, 315-pound junior guard Matthew Jones; and 6-foot-5, 315-pound junior right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere.

Likewise, defending national champion Alabama brings back three starters in 6-foot-3, 318-pound senior center Chris Owens; 6-foot-3, 324-pound junior right guard Emil Ekiyor Jr.; and 6-foot-7, 360-pound junior right tackle Evan Neal.

Similar to the UW, Georgia brings back all five starters in 6-foot-7, 335-pound senior left tackle Xavier Truss; 6-foot-4, 325-pound senior left guard Jamaree Salyer; 6-foot-4, 305-pound junior center Warren Ericson; 6-foot-4, 330-pound senior right guard Justin Shaffer; and 6-foot-4, 300-pound senior right tackle Warren McClendon.

Clemson has three of its O-line starters returning in 6-4, 315-pound senior left guard Matt Brockhorst; 6-foot-4, 300-pound junior right guard Will Putnam; and 6-foot-2, 300-pound junior right tackle Jordan McFadden.

The Huskies clearly have size on everyone in this group. They average 6-foot-5 and 330 pounds per lineman, compared to Georgia's 6-foot-4 and 318 average dimensions.

Now if the guys in purple and gold can just translate that to nonstop pancakes, uninterrupted pass protection and a lot of huge holes to run through, they should have a dominant season.

Follow Dan Raley of Husky Maven on Twitter: @DanRaley1 and @HuskyMaven

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